Big plays made defensively in the fourth quarter were the difference as
Mavric Owens stuffed
Dilin Jones at the goal line and
Matthew Seliga picked off a late pass to secure the victory for the Fighting Crusaders.
Four-star junior running-back
Jordan Marshall led the way in the win, accounting for four touchdowns and running for over 100 yards for his sixth straight contest.
Moeller took an 18-point advantage twice in the second half in what turned out to be their fourth straight out-of-state triumph to start the season. Although Good Counsel added a
Ryan Capriotti field goal with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 39-31, Moeller was eventually able to run out the clock.
Both clubs scored touchdowns on their opening drives. Good Counsel's
Kamari Randall reeled in a short pass from quarterback
Frankie Weaver before running for a 47-yard TD later in the drive to open the scoring.
The Fighting Crusaders answered with an eight-play drive that resulted in Marshall reeling in an eight-yard reception in the flat to even the score at 7-7.
Later in the opening quarter, Moeller responded with a quick 4-play, 57-yard drive.
Luke Dunn hit Marshall for a 34-yard gain before
Tennel Bryant hauled in a 15-yard TD two plays later to make things 14-7.
After beginning their next possession backed up deep on their own end of the field, Weaver was forced to cover the ball in his own end-zone for a safety to put Moeller up 16-7 in the closing minute of the opening quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Fighting Crusaders returned the kick to around mid-field before Good Counsel forced a fumble and recovered. Five plays later, Jones ran up the gut for 12 yards to narrow the gap to 16-14 with ten minutes left in the half.
Moeller responded with nine consecutive points late in the second quarter to go up 25-14 at intermission.
Drew Mitchell's 35-yard field goal capped a 19-play drive that took 8:02 off of the clock to put the Fighting Crusaders up 19-14. A few players later, Marshall took the ball around the left end for a 20-yard scoring romp to extend the lead to 11 points after a failed two-point conversion.
Marshall made two guys miss and raced 21 yards to open the scoring in the second half and extend the lead to 32-14.
On its second possession of the third quarter,
Elijah Moore caught a 26-yard touchdown for Good Counsel to cut the deficit to 32-21 mid-way through the period.
Marshall's fourth and final score of the game came on a one-yard plunge to put the Ohio powerhouse up 39-21.
Both teams return to the field next Friday as Archbishop Moeller (4-0) travels to St. Xavier (Cincinnati) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (2-1) hosts Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore).
Archbishop Moeller junior quarterback Luke Dunn prepares to throw the football.
Photo: Michael Noyes
