Cardinals capture Turkey Day title (12/02)

By Andy Slater

Dec. 20, 2002

As the ball descended from the heavens, senior running back Guillaume Mok contorted his body to reach back and snag senior quarterback Brian Moore's 40-yard heave, landing on the one-yard line. The crowd on Lowell's side of Kezar Stadium arose like quicksilver from a stupor induced by countless Cardinal errors, while Washington fans saw an imminent victory snatched away from their team.

Two plays later and with precious few seconds remaining, Mok plunged across the goal line to capture the city title for the Cardinals, 16-12, on Thanksgiving Day.

"That's why you never give up," assistant coach Al Gamboa said. "Anything can happen. I had confidence in that last drive because we had the experience to handle such a situation."

The decisive play looked like a miracle, but the players insisted that it was all planned.

"I wasn't surprised — I thought he would catch it," Moore said. "The papers said it was a Hail Mary, but it was really a backside post. By no means was it a desperate play."

ELI KORAL

Senior Brian Moore employs a ground attack against the Eagles' defense in the Cardinals' 16-12 win over Washington on Thanksgiving.

The timely hookup between Moore and Mok was all the more stunning because an eerily similar play had occurred just one minute before. With the Eagles leading 12-7, senior tight end Givi Chaichmelachvili made an incredible catch of a bomb thrown by Moore at the Washington 30-yard-line. As he rumbled down the field, it looked as though the Cardinals were in position to score the winning touchdown. But then, in a play that looked like it would define the Cardinals' season, Chaichmelachvili fumbled the ball, and the Eagles recovered at their own 15. Each team's crowd — and sideline for that matter — underwent a complete emotional swing. In observing the sinking feeling percolating on the Lowell side, one couldn't help but compare the situation to the Giants' collapse in the World Series. It seemed that Lowell partisans would have to console themselves by looking at the big picture.

It seemed that Lowell partisans would have to console themselves by looking at the big picture.

"After Givi's fumble, I was telling myself to appreciate the great effort my defense put forth," Gamboa said. "I started to brace myself to accept a loss but be thankful for such a great game."

Following the fumble, the Cardinals refused to give in to such an unfortunate turn of events, forcing the Eagles to punt with 1:25 left. In yet another odd turn, Washington's punter took an intentional safety rather than risking a blocked punt. Chaichmelachvili partially redeemed himself by returning the safety kick to the Washington 42.

But it was the entire special teams unit that needed redemption following a performance that nearly cost Lowell the title. They seemed to especially have trouble discerning between appropriate and inappropriate times to grab a bouncing football.

In the first quarter, junior return man Kevin Delfin unsuccessfully attempted to pick up a bouncing punt that he had no business being anywhere near, and the Eagles recovered his fumble. Needless to say, Delfin got an earful on the sideline. Unfortunately, he took the advice too far by failing to recover a Washington kickoff in the fourth quarter. In fairness to Delfin, the whole team seemed to be unaware that a deep kickoff becomes a live ball.

The Eagles recovered and drove to score the leading touchdown, which came on a pass from senior quarterback Marius Silas to his junior receiver Emmett Spruell. An unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt kept Washington's lead at 12-7. Silas dominated the second half, scoring Washington's first touchdown of the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals drew first blood in the third quarter on Moore's 15-yard sweep to the right side. The speedy quarterback followed his blockers, turned the corner and barely made it across the goal line. The score capped an 80-yard drive highlighted by Moore's 23-yard completion to junior tight end Tamayo Wendel and consistently strong runs by senior running back Andrew Frisbie.

"It was easily the most exciting game I've ever seen in any sport."

Junior Josh Scheiman

Both teams struggled mightily in the scoreless first half, combining for four turnovers and multiple penalties. Moore's passes consistently flew just out of the reach of his receivers. The game looked like it was going to go down as one of the one worst championship games in history, but the fourth quarter silenced all such talk.

All who witnessed the title game agreed that they would never forget the blissful insanity of that Thanksgiving Day.

"It was easily the most exciting game I've ever seen in any sport," junior Josh Scheiman said. "That it was Lowell football — doctor!"

Gamboa said, "I'm happy for the kids, especially the seniors who had never won a championship at the JV or varsity level."

In fact, the Cardinals' victory was Lowell's first in seven years. At long last, the Cardinals wrestled away the title from perennial powers Galileo and Washington. Next year, of course, they will try to do it all again.

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