Correspondent photo / Michael G. Taylor. Ursuline running back Christian Lynch runs away from Cardinal Mooney defenders during last season's edition of the Holy War.

YOUNGSTOWN — Dan Reardon has been at Ursuline for 13 of the 20 years he’s been a high school football head coach.

He had his first stint with the Irish from 2004-2011, then he returned to Ursuline for his second stint in 2019. In the last five years, he’s led the Irish to a state championship game and two regional appearances.

But even he admits his current Irish squad might be the most complete team on all three sides of the ball that he’s coached since he returned to Ursuline.

“It probably is the most complete team since I’ve been back,” Reardon said. “The biggest difference is the level that we’ve been playing defense at this year. I know for a fact we’re playing the best defense we’ve played since I’ve been back. Our offense, with the exception of our first year back, has been pretty steady and dynamic and explosive and all those things, and you still see that this year.”

Offensively, Ursuline has averaged 40.2 points per game this season, par for the course for the Irish. But defensively is where the Irish have made the biggest leap forward.

During its state runner-up season in 2021, Ursuline gave up an average of 31.9 points per game. Then last season, that dropped to 20.3 points per game. Now this year, the Irish defense is allowing teams to score just 13.7 points per game.

“We’ve really simplified things and with that, I think our guys are playing with a lot of confidence,” Reardon said of the changes defensively. “They know exactly where they’re supposed to be and what the responsibility is. They’ve had thousands of reps doing minimal things, so we’ve become very proficient at those things, so I think that’s been really good.”

Special teams have been part of it as well. Anthony Tabak and Gavin Sedoris have been steady with kicking duties, while the Irish have been explosive in the return game, with DC Ferrell returning a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown and Jy’Quise Liason returning two kickoffs for touchdowns this season.

The Irish will look to complete their first undefeated regular season since 2010 when Ursuline (9-0) faces longtime rival Cardinal Mooney (5-4) tonight in the 69th edition of the Holy War at Stambaugh Stadium.

“In Ursuline history, there’ve been very few teams that have finished undefeated, so I think the big thing this week is really trying to get our kids to understand the opportunity that they have and understand that Mooney is going to give us everything they have,” Reardon said. “Mooney would like nothing more than to spoil a potential undefeated season.”

Ursuline has won four straight games in the series, but Mooney leads the all-time series 41-24-3. The two teams met for the first time in 1958 and have played every year since then.

“From a historical perspective, so many great teams, coaches and players have had a chance to play in this rivalry,” Reardon said. “So to us, we always try to explain the history and try to get our kids to understand the different things from over the years. Some of our coaches, who played here, they talk about their experiences. And I talk about my experiences from different years because I think it’s important for the kids to understand that.”

In last year’s meeting, the Cardinals gave the Irish everything they had. In a mistake-filled, low-scoring game by both teams, Mooney had multiple chances to tie the game or take the lead in the second half, but couldn’t capitalize, as the Cardinals fell to the Irish 13-7.

Like Ursuline, Mooney opened the season with a momentum-building win over a powerhouse program. The Irish took down Steubenville, while the Cardinals edged Lake Catholic.

However, the Cardinals then dropped two straight games, before winning three in a row. Before last week’s victory over East, Mooney dropped two heartbreakers to area rivals Chaney and Warren G. Harding.

But now the Cardinals would like nothing more than to sully Ursuline’s perfect season.

Both teams are led by veteran senior quarterbacks in Ursuline’s Jack Ericson and Mooney’s Ashton O’Brien, and they each have explosive skill talent all over the field.

“(Mooney) has shown the ability to play at a very high level,” Reardon said. “One thing that is certain is that team shows up and you’re going to get everything that they have from an effort and focus standpoint and all those things. So we’re expecting a war and a battle.”

nmadhavan@tribtoday.com