Cards Overpower Green Terror
Ricca throws for over 350 yards

9/15/2007

WASHINGTON - On a Saturday when the Catholic University football squad (3-0) was looking to stay undefeated the team went back to what it does best, the passing game.  Despite solid results running the ball the last two weeks, CUA utilized an effective aerial attack to get the 28-21 victory over the McDaniel Green Terror (0-3) Saturday afternoon at Bair Stadium.  The win ends McDaniel's six-game win streak over the Cards which dates back to 1936. 

After a scoreless first half, both teams got on the board in the second.  John Jacobs (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) completed a 58-yard pass to Pete Mercantanti (Newtown, Pa./Pennington School) to start the drive and three plays later Rich Barry (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) ran it in to make it 7-0 Cardinals.  On the next series the strong Cardinal defense forced McDaniel to punt after going three and out.  Tom Wenrich punted the ball all the way down to the CUA 12 but return man Nick Olivero (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) received some key blocks and was able to make it into the open field and the end zone to put another CUA score on the board.  Olivero's return was 88 yards which ranks him second all-time in a game.

With a 14-0 lead, the Cardinals looked to be in good shape but two quick scores by McDaniel evened it back up going into the break.

The Cards came out of the locker room ready to score as they found the end zone on their first drive.  Starting with the ball at the McDaniel 44, Keith Ricca (Poolesville, Md./St. John's Prospect Hall) marched his squad down the field completing four of five passes in the drive before finding Noah Rogers (Lorton, Va./Bishop O'Connell) for a 15-yard catch to put CUA on top.  Brendan Deluca (Gambrills, Md./St. Mary's (Md.)) hit his third PAT of the game to make the score 21-14.  The Cards gave themselves some breathing room late in the quarter when Ricca once again took his team into McDaniel territory and completed a 44-yard pass to Mercantanti for the touchdown giving CUA the 28-14 lead.

The Green Terror made a run to begin the fourth quarter after a roughing the pass penalty gave them the ball at the CUA 18.  Brad Baer took just three plays to find the end pulling McDaniel within one TD.  However, once again the Cardinal defense buckled down and held the Green Terror scoreless for the remaining 11 minutes to get the 28-21 victory.

Ricca threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns to post a solid day under center, he was 23-34 overall.  Jacobs also saw some snaps and was 2-3 for 66 yards.  Chris Daley (Olney, Md./Good Counsel) was the leading rusher for CUA with 22 net yards on 10 carries and Mercantanti led all receivers with 195 yards and a TD.  Baer was 16-26 with 100 yards and two touchdowns for McDaniel.  Eric Zwilsky, the Green Terror's main weapon, had 94 yards on 19 carries.

Defensively Anthony DelBorrell (Laurel, Md./DeMatha) continued to post big numbers for CUA with 16 tackles in the game including one tackle for a loss.  Bill Gross (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) ranked second for the Cards with 11 including a tackle for a loss and a sack. 

CUA will open up ODAC play next weekend with a home game versus Randolph Macon.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.