RICHMOND — The ending did indeed come too fast for the Edison football team.

Edison – the No. 4 seed – set out to prove all the doubters wrong as it took on perennial power and No. 12 seed Cardinal Mooney in the first round of the Ohio Division V Region 17 playoffs.

The Cardinals, however, had other plans as once they got rolling Edison was unable to slow them down as the Cardinals defeated the Wildcats, 45-14, via mercy rule Friday night at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.

“It was not our night, not at all,” Edison (10-1) head coach Mike Collopy said. “I want to congratulate Mooney. They are a really-good team. They played well.

“There were a couple of things that happened in the first half, and we got behind the sticks on offense. We could not get anything going, and we gave Mooney some short fields.

“I am really proud of our guys. I’m really proud of how our defense played in the first half. They played really hard. They kept us in the game.”

The visitors from Mahoning County tallied six touchdowns – four through the air and two on the ground – on the night.

“Both teams started a little sloppy,” Cardinal Mooney (5-6) head coach Carl Pelini said. “There were some nerves. There some penalties. I thought once we settled down we played really well.”

With the win, Mooney will now play No. 4 seed Norwayne in the regional quarterfinals Friday night on the road. Norwayne defeated No. 12 seed Harrison Central, 71-7, via mercy rule in the first round Friday night at home.

“Win and move on,” Pelini said. “We are going to enjoy this one tonight, and then we are going to get back to work.”

The Cardinals outgained Wildcats, 392-226.

The boys in white an for 197 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing for 195 yards and four scores. The boys in black ran for 193 yards and a touchdown, while throwing for 33 yards and another score.

“Our defense stepped up in the first half,” Collopy said. “We scored a touchdown right before the half ended. That was a big play. Every play is big. We just could not do enough.”

The victors scored at least one touchdown in all four quarters, and they scored in double digits each of the final three quarters.

Quarterback Ashton O’Brien led the way offensively as he completed 14-of-20 passes for 195 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran three times for 18 yards.

Aidyn Page produced 78 yards on 11 carries to lead the way on the ground, while Tyon Flowers finished with 69 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while also hauling in a 29-yard touchdown reception.

Alec DelSignore collected six receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown, Ty Reali tallied three catches for 37 yards and a touchdown and Nolan Radinsky delivered four catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.

Edison quarterback Gage Cline ran 18 times for 98 yards and a touchdown.

“I watched seven or eight of their games,” Pelini said. “Their quarterback is a heck of a football player. He competes. He’s strong. He’s a tough kid.”

Also on the ground, Mason Eisnaugle netted 95 yards on 18 attempts.

Deacon Rawson threw for a 32-yard touchdown, and he also caught one pass for four yards. Decker Lancaster caught Rawson’s touchdown pass.

Cardinal Mooney opened the scoring about midway through the first quarter when O’Brien hooked up with Radinsky on a 8-yard touchdown, and Nick Pregibon nailed the extra point giving the Cardinals a 7-0 lead with 6:11 left in the quarter.

The Cardinals extended their advantage in the second as they scored a pair of touchdowns.

Jeffrey Brenner plowed his way into the end zone from the 6, and Pregibon booted the PAT making the score, 14-0, with 6:41 remaining to be played in the second.

The Wildcats got on the scoreboard thanks to a trick play as Rawson hit a wide-open Lancaster for a 32-yard score, and Liam Watson split the uprights with the extra point pulling the home team to within 14-7 with 2:40 left to play before halftime.

Edison had the momentum, however, it did not take long for Mooney to snatch it back.

DelSignore hauled in a 37-yard touchdown from O’Brien 47 seconds later, and Pregibon produced his third extra point of the night giving his team a 14-point advantage with 1:53 remaining to be played before halftime.

Pregibon opened the scoring in the second half when he kicked a 44-yard field goal to extend Mooney’s lead to 24-7 with 10:15 left in the third.

Flowers then scored on a 29-yard reception from O’Brien, and Pregibon’s PAT increased Mooney’s advantage to 31-7 with 1:15 left in the quarter.

“We have a lot of speed,” Pelini said. “We are a fast football team, and it has served us well on both sides of the ball.”

The Cardinals tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth to bring the running clock into effect.

First, Reali scored on a 17-yard pass from O’Brien and Pregibon’s point after made the score 38-7 bringing the running clock into action with 8:40 left in the game.

Flowers scored the Cardinals final touchdown when he raced down the sideline en route to a 38-yard score, and Pregibon’s extra point was true giving Mooney a 45-7 lead with 5:35 left in the game.

Cline scored on a 7-yard run, and Watson nailed the extra point making the score 45-14 with just 18 seconds still showing on the scoreboard clock.

Due to the running clock, Edison did not have to kick off as time expired.

“Edison kids are special,” Collopy said. “I am proud to be their head coach. I wish I could have given them a better effort.

“It’s tough. We wanted to play a better game, but these kids have no reason to hang their heads. They are going to look back on the season with a lot of good memories.

“This team did something no other Edison team has done in school history. It stings tonight, and it should. It shows how much these kids care.”