By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
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Cincinnati won round one in the continual battle between Northeast Ohio and Queen City high school football teams in the I-wireless Prep Classic.
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Cincinnati Moeller fired the first shot with an impressive, 48-14 blowout of the Massillon Tigers. That was followed by Cincinnati St. Xavier out-slugging Lakewood St. Edward, 10-7, in the nightcap.
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Although the day's final game was billed as the featured game, it was Moeller who might have sent the loudest message.
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The Crusaders stunned the Tigers, last season's runner-up in Division I, with an array of big plays coming from their defense and special teams, which accounted for 24 first quarter points.
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The first play came from the legs of Chedrick Cherry, who created a nightmare scenario for Tom Stacey's Tigers. The senior returned a first quarter punt 48 yards, and just like that it was 6-0 Moeller. In total Cherry accounted for 144 return yards, providing his team with outstanding field position and returning another punt deep into Massillon territory later in the game.
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Moments after the Cherry return, the Crusaders struck again, this time on defense. Dean Gaier snatched a would-be Tiger pass and took it back 50 yards for the score.
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The Crusaders added 17 more points in the first quarter and held a 24-0 advantage after just 12 minutes of play, all but sealing the game.
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"The kids get to this venue and they know the big guys play here and it brings a lot of excitement," Moeller coach Bob Crable told the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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State Powers Collide
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The day's final game was the much-anticipated duel of two nationally-ranked teams, St. Xavier and St. Edward - and it lived up to the billing.
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The Bombers used a blocked punt and two big defensive plays to build a 10-0 halftime advantage. Despite being out gained 360 to 185 in total offense, Xavier hung on for the 10-7 victory over the Eagles.ÿ
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One of those big Xavier plays came in the game's opening minutes from the special teams unit. On the opening drive, the Bombers defense stuffed the Eagles on three consecutive plays, forcing a punt.
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St. Xavier broke through the Eagles line and blocked the punt. The play allowed Xavier to set up its offense on St. Ed's 20-yard line. The drive stalled, but the Bombers converted the game's first break into three points.
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After that play, the St. Xavier defense spent most of the night bending, but they never broke. Twice in the first half the Bombers' defense came up big with their backs against the wall, snagging two interceptions and blunting Eagle threats deep in Xavier territory.
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One of those turnovers was a 14-point swing as X took over on its own one-yard line and marched 99 yards, capped by Darius Ashley's six-yard scamper.
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In the second half, both defenses dominated until late in the fourth quarter when St. Ed's finally punched the ball in for six points. Down 10-7, the Eagles got one more chance but fell short as Xavier escaped with the victory.
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"What does it mean?" St. Xavier coach Steve Specht asked the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It means we were the best team in Week 3, that's all."
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St. Edward running back Frank Edmonds had a big night in a losing effort, rumbling for 166 yards.