2007 Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge

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Gateway and Central open on national stage

Gateway's Cameron Saddler and the Gators will open the season Saturday in Canton, Ohio, in the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge.

Thursday, August 30, 2007
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Gateway High School football team has been ranked in some national polls. The Gators will get a chance to prove they belong when they open the season against an out-of-state team that has a national reputation.

Gateway will play Cardinal Mooney of Youngstown, Ohio, at 5 p.m. Saturday in Canton, as part of the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge. Cardinal Mooney also has popped up in some national rankings and has four seniors committed to Division I colleges -- two to Penn State, one to Notre Dame and one to Oklahoma.

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Scout.com: Border War: Cardinal Mooney vs. Gateway

By B. Lichtenfels, B. Greene
Recruiting Analysts
Posted Aug 29, 2007

When comparing Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Ohio., to Gateway, Pa., the overwhelming similarity is talent. Many of Saturday’s participants will continue their football careers in college. Some may even play in the NFL. These two teams are close as they are only separated by an hour of highway. Let's look at the match-up, and predict a winner and have some fun eith it.

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Scout.com: Kirk Herbstreit Challenge III: Canton

By Bob Lichtenfels
Regional Recruiting Analyst
Posted Aug 30, 2007

Scout.com will be out in full force at the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge this weekend. We will have myself, Greg Powers and Bill Greene in Canton, Ohio on Saturday and then on Cincinnati on Sunday. Dave Berk, Allen Trieu and Josh Winslow will be covering the action in Cincinnati on Saturday and Sunday as we get ready to preview some great match-ups and great players we will see in Canton.

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Scout.com: Herbstreit Challenge III Game Two Cincinnati

By DAVE BERK
FOOTBALL RECRUITING ANALYST
Posted Aug 30, 2007

One of Ohio's top programs will battle a program known around the country from it's time on MTV in the show "Two-a-Days" as Colerain (Ohio) will battle Hoover High School from Alabama.

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Scout.com: Herbstreit Challenge III Game One Cincinnati

By DAVE BERK
FOOTBALL RECRUITING ANALYST
Posted Aug 28, 2007

We take a look at the first of seven games to be held at Nippert Stadium on the campus of the University of Cincinnati as part of the Ohio vs. USA Kirk Herbstreit Challenge.

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MooneyFootball.com-Current News

Cardinal Mooney will be making its first appearance in the Ohio Vs. USA Kirk Herbstreit Challenge. The event is in its third year with games being played at different locations throughout the state. Mooney plays a first-time opponent in the Gateway Gators, located just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Gateway Gators are members of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (similar to the OHSAA in Ohio). They are Class AAAA (on par with Ohio Division 1) and are members of the Quad East Section. They open their season this Saturday against Mooney.

Gateway returns 18 starters from last season's 6-5 playoff team. Their top performers on offense include quad-captains OL Eric Warning (6-5, 280), WR Jon Pryor (5-10, 180), and Cameron Saddler (5-8, 170). The run their offense out of an I formation typically, mixing in some shotgun and spread when needed.

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Rivals $

9/2

Great Day 1 recap by Brian Snow.

Catch of the day saves Cathedral | IndyStar.com

September 2, 2007

Lupo's leaping 28-yard TD catch with 2:59 left in game puts Irish on scoreboard

By Carey Hoffman
Star correspondent

CINCINNATI -- Cathedral's Jack Lupo didn't replicate his four-touchdown reception performance that came a week ago against Louisville (Ky.) Pleasure Ridge Park.

Instead, he settled for just one scoring catch -- the biggest of his career.

Lupo helped the Fighting Irish put an afternoon of frustration behind them by making a leaping 28-yard touchdown catch over a defender with 2:59 left in the game, setting up a 7-6 victory over Cincinnati La Salle in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge III event at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium.

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The Enquirer - Colerain 20, Hoover (Ala.) 17

Kick gives Cardinals edge in OT, then defense seals dramatic win
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM

Tom Bolden's mother gave the Colerain football coach some good-natured motherly advice Saturday, after the Cardinals' thrilling 20-17 overtime win over Hoover, Ala.

June Bolden, standing in the first row behind the Cardinals' bench at UC's Nippert Stadium, gave her son a kiss and a hug. Tom Bolden's wife, Lisa, and children also lined up for some affection.

"No more like this, Tommy!" June Bolden said. "No more!"

Tom, now 2-0 in his first year as Colerain coach, smiled and said what most sons would.

"OK, Mom."

The Cardinals, rated No. 23 nationally by USA Today, won with a 42-yard field goal from senior Mark Tabar and a strong defensive effort in overtime. It was the second of four Kirk Herbstreit Challenge games Saturday at UC.

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The Enquirer - Mission Viejo (Calif.) 26, Moeller 22

Another dose of late-game heartbreak
BY CAREY HOFFMAN | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

Moeller's second appearance in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge was every bit as disappointing as its first.

Last year, the Crusaders lost a 21-20 heartbreaker to Byrnes, S.C., on a touchdown with less than 3:30 to play. Saturday, visiting Mission Viejo gave Moeller that late sinking feeling once again, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 1:14 to go in a 26-22 victory.

"I thought (Mission Viejo) gained more and more confidence as the second half progressed, and especially in the fourth quarter," Moeller coach Bob Crable said. "I tell the kids all the time that if you keep making mistakes, the great teams are going to make you pay."

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The Enquirer - Elder ends 109-game streak

Panthers hand Charlotte team first loss since 2000, 41-34, in OT
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM

Elder snapped the 109-game winning streak of Charlotte Independence (N.C.) Saturday night, with a dramatic 41-34 overtime win in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge at UC's Nippert Stadium.

The Panthers scored on their second play of overtime, a 14-yard pass from quarterback Johnny Groene to wideout Josh Jones. Anthony Miliano's PAT made it 41-34.

Elder defensive back Keith Hamberg ended the game with an interception, with Independence facing third-and-9 at the Elder 19-yard line. Hamberg snared the ball, immediately ending the game, and Elder players charged wildly and happily onto the field.

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Mooney shows Pa. visitor the ‘Gate’

By J.J. BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

CANTON — It took three years for a team from the Mahoning Valley to receive an invitation to the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge.

But it took Cardinal Mooney only one game to prove why more area teams belong at the annual event.

The Cardinals racked up 313 yards of offense — including 264 on the ground — en route to a 27-6 victory over Gateway (Pennsylvania) Saturday night at Fawcett Stadium.

Mooney quarterback Dan McCarthy scored three touchdowns — two by ground and one by air — as the Cardinals improved to 2-0.

The senior ran 20 times for 130 yards and was 2-of-4 passing for 43 yards.

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Scout.com: Herbstreit Notebook: Buford-Grove City

By Bob Lichtenfels
Scout.com
Posted Sep 1, 2007

CANTON, OHIO – A stubborn Grove City squad fought gallantly against an overpowering Buford team, but in the end The Greyhounds just didn’t have the horses to beat the Wolves. Scout.com was on hand and catches you up on all the action.

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Scout.com: Elder Ends Independence’s Streak

By Allen Trieu
Recruiting Analyst
Posted Sep 2, 2007

Charlotte Independence came into the nightcap of the Kirk Herbstriet Challenge on a 109-game win streak. But they would fall just short of 110 as the Patriots fell at the hands on Cincinnati Elder and Notre Dame commit Kyle Rudolph.

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Scout.com: Herbstreit Notebook: Glenville- Poly

By Bob Lichtenfels
Regional Recruiting Analyst
Posted Sep 2, 2007

CANTON, OHIO – Cleveland Glenville came into the Herbstreit Challenge with the momentum of a hard fought victory over national powerhouse Warren Central of Indiana, but they could not unseat the Jackrabbits of Long Beach Poly. The Tarblooders had a chance to tie or win the game late, but Terrence Owens and Cordale Scott could not connect.

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High School Football Notebook: WPIAL splits Challenge games

Central Catholic collects easy 34-6 victory
Monday, September 03, 2007
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

The WPIAL batted .500 at the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge this weekend.

Central Catholic, the Post-Gazette's No. 2-ranked Class AAAA team in the WPIAL and PIAA, cruised past Clayton Northmont (Ohio), 34-6, last night at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati in the final contest of the 11-game, two-day event.

One day earlier, Gateway was defeated by Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 27-6, in the Herbstreit Challenge.

Clayton Northmont, an 8-3 team a year ago, led 6-0 after the first quarter. But Central Catholic came on strong to secure the victory.

Central Catholic took the lead for good in the second quarter when Luke McCall caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Tino Sunseri and Matt Oczypok kicked the extra point.

Sunseri threw another touchdown pass later in the game and McCall scored on a 16-yard return of a fumble recovery. Oczypok kicked field goals of 36 and 33 yards and Dan Vaughan scored on a 21-yard reception and a 20-yard run.

Sunseri, a Louisville recruit, finished 5 of 10 passing for 122 yards.

Central Catholic's D.J. Myers was the contest's leading rusher with 74 yards on eight carries. Dom Timbers was slated to be Central Catholic's starting halfback, but went down with a knee injury in a preseason scrimmage and is out for the season.

Two other Central Catholic starters -- receiver Casey Totten and offensive lineman Matt Stephen -- also are out for the season with injuries.

More Challenge notes

The Central Catholic-Clayton Northmont game was one of seven played Saturday and yesterday at Nippert Stadium. Also Saturday, four games were played at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

In the game that preceded Gateway-Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Long Beach Poly (Calif.) defeated Glenville (Ohio), 21-13.

Besides having one of the most unusual nicknames (Tarblooders), Glenville also has to have one of the biggest offensive lines in the history of high school football. From tackle to tackle, Glenville's starters stood 6 feet 5, 350 pounds; 6-5, 350; 6-4, 210; 6-4, 310; and 6-5, 320. That's an average of 6-42/3, 308.

But those linemen didn't exactly open a lot of holes to run the ball as Glenville had only 95 yards rushing on 28 attempts.

The current longest winning streak in the country was stopped Saturday night when Elder (Ohio) defeated Independence of Charlotte, N.C., 41-34, at Nippert Stadium. The score was tied, 34-34, after regulation. Elder scored first in overtime and Independence's possession ended when Elder's Keith Hamberg intercepted a pass.

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Tulsa World - Sports Extra

Union rolls in road rout in Canton, Ohio.

CANTON, Ohio -- It took the Union High football team two days to get a victory in Ohio, but the extra day was well worth it.

In a game that started late Saturday and ended in the early hours Sunday morning, Union routed three-time Canton McKinley 31-0, a traditional power in Ohio.

Playing in the third annual Kirk Herbstreit Challenge, the Redskins scored 10 points off a pair of McKinley turnovers and another touchdown following a blocked punt in the shadows of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Scout.com: Herbstreit Notebook: Trotwood-Highlands

By Bob Lichtenfels

Regional Recruiting Analyst

Posted Sep 2, 2007

CINCINNATI, OHIO - Everyone in the free world besides the Highlands players, coaches and parents assumed that Trotwood Madison was all set to have a cakewalk with Highlands, Ky. Well that is why you play the game as the Bluebirds stunned the Rams 24-20 in the most exciting game of the day at the Herbstreit Challenge.

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Scout.com: ScoutTV: Central Catholic/Northmont Analysis

By Scout.com staff
Scout.com
Posted Sep 5, 2007

Pittsburgh Central Catholic pulled off a big 34-6 victory over Clayton Northmont in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge. After the game, Allen Trieu and Bob Lichtenfels stuck around and gave their thoughts on the game itself and the key recruits who played.

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Scout.com: ScoutTV: Dematha vs St. Xavier Analysis

By Scout.com staff
Scout.com
Posted Sep 5, 2007

St. Xavier pulled off a big win over Dematha even without star tailback Darius Ashley. Scout.com's Bob Lichtenfels and Dave Berk talk about how the Bombers won the game and how top recruits like Kenny Tate performed in the game.

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