I know, I know. Some of you may be tired of hearing about Mooney by now and think they don't need any more recognition than they already get.
To put this in perspective, 10 years ago, Mooney had a great run to the state semi-finals where they lost to Ironton. Shortly thereafter, our legendary coach Don Bucci who won 4 state championships retires and a very young PJ Fecko takes over the team.
In 2000, after coming off a state semi-finalist run the year before, PJ proceeds to go 5-5 against a tough schedule.
Mooney football the following year hit rock bottom, going 0-10 and averaging less than 6 PPG while the defense gave up 33 PPG. To put it in perspective, Mooney scored 55 points this year against Hubbard in round 2 of the playoffs and scored 57 points ALL YEAR in 2001. The future did not look good for Fecko.
The 2002 squad was much improved from 2001 and came within 1 point of beating archrival Boardman in week 10 and making the playoffs. The team ended 5-5, but with a hard fought win in an incredible game against an Ursuline team who squeaked in to the playoffs and rolled all the way to the state semi-finals.
So after 3 years, PJ Fecko and his staff were 10-20 and Mooney football, it seemed, was all but a thing of the past.
The 2003 squad led by senior QB Ron Stoops returned the Cardinals to the playoffs with an 8-2 record and tough losses to reigning D1 runner-up Warren Harding and eventual state champ Cleveland Benedictine. A tough draw for week 1, the Cardinals had to play Cleveland VASJ who barely squeaked by the Cardinals and proceeded to roll on to the D4 championship game.
In 2004 a kid named Kyle McCarthy took over as team leader and I think you all know what Mooney has done over the past 6 years.
I savored Friday's victory because you never know when or if you will ever be back to a state championship. With talk of Mark Stoops taking over at YSU, there is more talk that his older brother Ron may go with him. PJ Fecko may also leave and take over at another school (HS or College). If this is the end of the Fecko era, I just want to sum up how amazing it was. Full of the highest of the highs (3 state championships, the school's first 15-0 season) and the lowest of the lows (0-10). Its been quite a ride to start out the new millennium. No doubt Mooney football will live on even if our current coaching staff does scatter, but I want to thank PJ Fecko, Ron Stoops, the rest of the coaching staff, and all the kids walking around with state championship rings for reviving a program that many thought was on life support. The wins were hard to come by while I was a student at Mooney, but its been just as sweet to watch them playing in week 15 five out of the past 6 years and showing people around the state of Ohio and the country what Youngstown and Cardinal Mooney football is all about.
Number 7!
I know, I know. Some of you may be tired of hearing about Mooney by now and think they don't need any more recognition than they already get.
Excellent post 44,
Amazing program. Hats off to all of them--it's a joy to go watch them play somewhere every year, they're always a great team that plays the game the right way.
To Coach Fecko, Coach Stoops, Coach Dap, and the rest of the coaching staff that has walked the sidelines the past ten years...to all the players who donned the Mooney uniform and put their blood, sweat, and tears into the program....Thank you! It's been a hell of a ride. Congratulations to everyone who has been a part of this team...and here's to another great decade of Cardinal Mooney football!