With a showdown against Newark Catholic looming, it would have been easy for the CA football team to overlook a weaker Linden-McKinley squad. But the Vikings remained focused, shutting out the Panthers, 42-0.
Despite playing its first game away from home this year, Academy showed no shortage of energy to begin the game. On Linden’s second drive, the Vikes forced a fumble and senior defensive end Josh Pearson jumped on it. The Vikings’ offense immediately capitalized, as senior running back Herman Moultrie took a pitch for a touchdown from 8 yards out.
CA wasted no time getting on the scoreboard for a second time. After a big punt return, the Vikes began their ensuing possession deep in Panthers territory. Moultrie took care of the rest, barreling his way into the end zone to put Academy up 14-0.
In danger of being blown out on its home turf, Linden finally started to move the ball early in the second quarter. But the Panthers’ momentum was quickly dashed as sophomore cornerback Carter Warstler made a diving interception on a tipped pass.
Less than a minute later, the Vikings were on the board again, as senior Matt Schiano hauled in a screen from classmate Matt Saling and weaved through traffic for a 35-yard touchdown. It was Saling’s first touchdown pass of the year.
Another Linden fumble—this time recovered by freshman defensive end Miles Walter—gave CA great field position once again. The Vikings worked their way inside the 10, before Moultrie took an outside handoff and spun into the end zone for his third touchdown of the night. Moultrie is staking his claim as one of the best running backs in all of central Ohio.
Then, with just seconds left in the half and the Vikes up 28-0, disaster struck again for the Panthers. Senior linebacker Davis Friedman burst through a gap and crashed into the Linden quarterback, popping the ball loose. He then scooped it up and sprinted 40 yards for another Vikings touchdown. Friedman has been the anchor of a stingy Academy defense that has yet to give up a point this year.
With an insurmountable lead, the Vikes put the ship on cruise control. Near the end of the third quarter, they put one more touchdown on the board, as senior Josh Pearson fumbled inside the Panthers’ 5-yard line, but junior Dorrian Moultrie was right there to pick it up and take it in for a score.
From there, CA’s reserves took the reigns, closing out another dominant victory.
After pummeling their first 2 opponents by a combined margin of 72-0, the Vikes will have their toughest test of the season thus far, as Newark Catholic comes to town. Academy will host the Green Wave on Friday, September 8.