NDCL responds big time

There are responses — and then there’s what Notre DameCathedral Latin had in store for visiting West Geauga on Aug. 31.

After the Lions yielded an early touchdown, their response was disproportionate and emphatic — just how they like it.

NDCL’s defense recorded five interceptions — including a pair of pick-sixes for touchdowns — and Nick Gattozzi threw for three

scores in a 42-7 victory.

With 4 minutes, 13 seconds to go in the opening quarter, the Lions (2-0) were staring at a 7-0 hole and had two punts and a fumble on their first three possessions. By the end of the quarter, the vantage point was looking much more favorable and didn’t stop looking that way until 42 unanswered points were on the board.

“I think you saw a little bit of a flash of what we’ve been about the last couple of years,” NDCL coach Andrew Mooney said. “The defense, we’re kind of figuring out where everybody’s role is.

“(Defensive coordinator Augie Montz) did a great job of putting the right personnel out there, whatever formation they were lining up in and right personnel. And that was the difference, having guys in the right position.”

West G (1-1) struck first, as Riley Huge hit Justin Renner down the left sideline for a 60-yard TD and a 7-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, amid the rolling hills of Munson Township, that was the peak of the evening.

The Lions, en route to their third win over West G since 2004, got a 38-yard TD pass from Gattozzi to Johnny Nguyen, forced a punt, and then had a huge sequence at the end of the quarter to seize control.

Gattozzi appeared to be hemmed in around his own 2, but evaded the West G rush and turned in a 10yard run to the 20. On the next play, the senior signal-caller lofted a pass for David Martin Kosier, who hauled it in over his shoulder and rumbled 80 yards for a score to go up, 14-7.

West G was unable to capitalize on a short field after an interception on Gattozzi early in the second quarter, missing a field goal, and the Lions scored twice in a 2:17 span.

First it was Jack Robinson capping a nine-play, 80yard march with a 6-yard TD run. Then with 4:29 left before halftime, NDCL’s Nick Balogh intercepted a pass at his own 26, got a wall of blockers and went 74 yards for a pick-six to put the Lions up, 27-7.

“After (the Renner TD), we weren’t focused before that,” Balogh said. “After that TD, we just played better defense. We worked harder, and teamwork — we were communicating

better. And D-line played amazing, really well.

“It’s a lot of fun getting a pick-six, but it’s more supporting my team — getting that pick-six for my team and helping my team win.”

Coming off a signature win over Chardon in Week 1 — especially so after the Hilltoppers’ overtime win Aug. 31 over Perry — West G couldn’t move the football with regularity after Renner’s TD.

Wolverines coach Adam Sopkovich gave a lengthy address to his squad postgame, hoping to see the right response in time for Week 3 against Kenston.

“I just think that we are

inexperienced,” Sopkovich said. “I think a little bit of how we played today showed our inexperience. Like I said last week, as a win, it’s a game — one game of the season. And they came out and played hard.

“I was telling the guys all week. I said, ‘This is a good team. NDCL is a good team and a good squad.’ They brought their fans out. Everybody supported. We just came up empty. We came up empty on a lot of plays.”

The response was far from empty from the Lions, after the early setback.

“We’re not on all cylinders yet,” Mooney said. “But we’re getting there.”