Staff photo / Greg Macafee Cardinal Mooney’s Patrick Dambrogio dribbles against Kennedy’s Giorgio Femia (18) and Christian Swogger (25) Saturday afternoon at Niles’ Bo Rein Stadium.

YOUNGSTOWN — When the Cardinal Mooney boys soccer team took down the Kennedy Eagles on Saturday afternoon in the Division III, Niles 1 district finals, the celebration was minimal.

Hugs were shared, smiles were had, and there was a sense of appreciation from the Cardinals about what they had accomplished. But, since the beginning of the season, Cardinal Mooney’s expectations have been higher than a district title.

“The expectation for us is winning a state championship,” Mooney captain Patrick Dambrogio said. “So, this is just one hurdle that we’ve gotten over. We just have to keep going and keep winning and bring home that state championship.

Two years ago, the Cardinals went 16-3-4 and 13-0-1 in their final 14 games leading up to their state championship appearance. It was a memorable season that saw them come together late in the year and knock off teams like Western Reserve Academy, Boardman, Ursuline, South Range and Ottawa Hills while outscoring opponents 77-26.

That particular season put the expectations in place for the Cardinals, and now they are trying to put themselves in the best possible position in order to make another run.

Part of that preparation is the schedule they’ve played this season. With matchups against Archbishop Hoban, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Ottawa Hills, Central Christian, Western Reserve Academy, and Howland, the Cardinals have tested themselves with one of the toughest schedules in the state.

Which was all part of the plan.

“Any team that we face, we can look at our schedule and say we’ve played a team that is better than them or equal to them,” Cardinal Mooney coach Matt Britton said. “There are not many teams, I mean we are the only team in the state that has beaten Howland this year. So we look at the level of teams that we’ve played this year and it prepares us for everything.”

It’s not just their schedule that has put the Cardinals in place for success this season. When they reached the state title game two years ago, a group of underclassmen played a crucial role in their run and now that same group is leading the way this season.

Dambrogio, along with fellow captains Antonio D’Alesio and Dante DeGenova, and the rest of the senior class, has provided the leadership that the Cardinals have needed this season.

“When we went to the state title game two years ago, I think we had six underclassmen and they are all seniors now so that gives us experience,” Britton said. “We know what to expect and no game is too big for them. So we are just hoping that that experience brings us back to the state championship game.”

Along with junior goalkeeper Aidan Markey, the trio of captains has contributed to 13 shutouts as the Cardinals have only allowed four goals in games that they’ve won. And while the Cardinal Mooney defense has been good, the Cardinals have been balanced on both ends of the field.

They’ve tallied 72 goals this season as junior Nick Pregibon and Mason Janis, along with sophomore Aidan Hryb lead the way with 12 goals apiece. Five other players have four goals or more.

The Cardinals have come a long way since their run to the state title two years ago and with hopes of returning to the state championship, their win over Kennedy on Saturday was just the beginning.

The Cardinals will take on Wickliffe, the Division III, Niles 2 district champion, tonight at 6 p.m. at Boardman High School.