Sunday, November 05, 2000
St. Xavier 42, Western Hills 7
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It took the Western Hills football team 29 years to qualify for the Division I postseason. But the first 24 minutes the Mustangs spent on the field Saturday night in their playoff game against St. Xavier must have seemed even longer.
The Bombers took a 35-0 halftime lead on the way to a 42-7 victory at Tom Ballaban Stadium.
St. Xavier quarterback Marty Mooney was 11-of-13 passing in the first half and the Bombers gained 314 yards.
“They have a heck of a team, it was no contest,” Western Hills coach Ed Youngs said. “They're more physical and play great defense. They handed it to us.”
St. X advances to a Region 4, Division I regional semifinal against Colerain on Saturday at a site to be announced.
A gamble by Youngs on the Mustangs' first possession led to a 7-0 Bombers lead 2:17 into the game.
Rather than punt on a fourth-and-two from their own 38, Youngs called for a Kevin Furlow draw that was stopped by the St. X defense. Three plays later, the Bombers scored on a 12-yard pass from Mooney to Brad Greiwe.
Western Hills managed only three first downs and 93 yards offense in the first half. The Mustangs finished with 415 for the game.
Before being taken out of the game midway through the third quarter with St. X ahead 42-0, Mooney completed 12-of-14 passes for 227 yards, putting him over the 2,000-yard mark for the season.
“The offensive line blocked well for me tonight, which makes it much easier,” Mooney said.
For the first time this season, the Bombers used a no-huddle offense in the first half, which forced West Hi to use a basic defense against the diversified St. X offense.
“Going to the no-huddle offense didn't confuse (the Mustangs), but it created matchup problems,” Mooney said.
Junior tailback Enye Willingham rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries for the Bombers.
Jeff Buening caught four passes for 46 yards and Josh Williams caught three for 72 yards for St. X.
“I was on the junior varsity last year but didn't play much because I was too small,” said Willingham. “I put on 15 pounds and waited for my chance to show Coach (Steve) Rasso what I could do.”
Willingham got that chance four games into the season.
“Enye was tentative at first but is now playing with confidence,” Rasso said. “He's hitting the holes and is very confident.”
St. Xavier last played Colerain in 1998 in the Division I regional championship game which the Bombers won 42-14.
Western Hills ....... 0 0 0 7— 7
St. Xavier ....... 14 21 7 0—42
X—Greiwe 12 pass from Mooney (Nolan kick)
X—Willingham 27 pass from Mooney (Nolan kick)
X—Buening 10 pass from Mooney (Nolan kick)
X—Ellis 9 run (Nolan kick)
X—Greiwe 41 pass from Mooney (Nolan kick)
X—Laugherty 3 run (Nolan kick)
W—Furlow 30 run (Codrey kick)
Records: St. X 8-3, Western Hills 9-2.
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St. Xavier 42, Western Hills 7
