It doesn’t get any better than this as Blitz 5 Game of the Week heads to the west side where No. 2 Elder hosts No. 1 Moeller for the GCL South championship. It should be a raucous night in front of a packed house at The Pit.
#1 MOELLER CRUSADERS (5-1, 2-0) at #2 ELDER PANTHERS (6-0, 2-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Elder Stadium, The Pit
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski, the reigning Ohio Mr. Football has 102 career touchdown passes, most in Hamilton County history. Crusaders freshman Juice Glover-Brown busted onto the varsity scene with 129 yards and two touchdowns rushing against La Salle last week. Junior Reggie Watson (a Louisville commit for baseball) who stands 5-6 and weighs 150 pounds has 38 receptions for 386 yards and five touchdown catches during Big Moe’s current four-game winning streak. Junior kicker Jack Mallabar has connected on all 31 extra point attempts, 6-7 field goal tries and has scored at least six points in every contest for the Crusaders.
Elder junior Kaden Estep has racked up 1,527 yards of total offense (1,068 pass, 459 rush), accounted for 11 touchdowns (seven pass, four rush) and completed 74.6% of his passes. Senior linebackers Derek Uran and Alex Dugan have combined for 64 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 16.0 tackles for losses.
TEAM TRENDS:
Moeller has won 12 consecutive GCL South games dating back to September, 2021. The Crusaders are looking to capture their fourth straight league title. Big Moe has handed Princeton and Louisville Trinity their only losses of the season. Moeller is averaging 38.0 points per game.
Elder is 6-0 for the first time since 2001. The next three teams that the Panthers will face are all currently 5-1. The Elder defense is allowing just 67.8 yards per game rushing and 12.0 points per contest. The Panthers offense has only turned the ball over twice.
HEAD COACHES:
Moeller: Bert Bathiany (29-8 at Moeller, third year; 39-11 overall, fourth year)
Elder: Doug Ramsey (229-107 at Elder, 30th year; 229-107 overall)
PLAYOFF HISTORY:
Moeller (40 appearances, 67-31 overall) – 2024 (State Runner-up), 2023 (Regional Champion), 2022 (Regional Champion), 2021 (Regional Champion), 2020, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2013 (State Champion), 2012 (State Champion), 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1997 (State Runner-up), 1996, 1993 (State Runner-up), 1990, 1989 (State Runner-up), 1988, 1985 (State Champion), 1984, 1983, 1982 (State Champion), 1981 (State Runner-up), 1980 (State Champion), 1979 (State Champion), 1977 (State Champion), 1976 (State Champion), 1975 (State Champion), 1974, 1973
Elder (26 appearances, 45-24 overall) – 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 (State Runner-up), 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009 (Regional Champion), 2008 (State Runner-up), 2007, 2004, 2003 (State Champion), 2002 (State Champion), 2001, 2000, 1999, 1996 (Regional Champion), 1995, 1991, 1989, 1988
MOELLER’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Week on and week out it seems as if there is a new Crusader that steps up and answers the call and fills a major void. Scoring early would be huge as Elder has only allowed one team to find the end zone in the first half of a game this season. Moeller could put a ton of pressure on Elder that they really haven’t had to deal with yet this fall, if they could build a double digit lead coming out of halftime.
ELDER’S KEYS TO VICTORY: A big reason the Panthers are undefeated is because they have taken care of the football and controlled the clock with long time consuming drives. Elder will need to keep that trend rolling. The last thing the Panthers want is to get into a shoot out with Big Moe’s high scoring offense.
Prediction: Moeller 27, Elder 16
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