For McNick, There’s No Place Like HOME

Archbishop McNicholas High School finally played a homecoming game at home.

The school hadn’t hosted a varsity football game since the late 1950s. Instead, it would have to play its home dates at schools such as Turpin, Anderson and Mariemont.

That changed when the Rockets hosted Purcell Marian in the inaugural game at McNicholas High School’s new Penn Station Stadium Oct. 16.

In front of packed crowd, the Rockets easily defeated the Cavaliers, 44-8.

Senior co-captain Jack Dooling appreciated having the support of the fans, who packed the auxiliary bleachers (the stadium project won’t be completed until 2012) on the east sideline during the contest.

“To be able to play in front of a crowd that big and win the inaugural game, and (to have) all the support from the McNick community, because sometimes, we’d get lost with Turpin and Anderson down the road…it’s great to see we have the support,” Dooling said.

Quarterback Matt Staubach shared Dooling’s attitude about school pride.

“It was amazing, to go out and have a win like we did, in front of the entire school, and entire community,” Staubach said, “It just felt great.”

The Rockets first points on the new field came when senior linebacker Ryan McMillan tackled Purcell Marian’s E.J. Burnett for a safety with 5:32 left in the first quarter.

Staubach added the Rockets’ first touchdown at the facility four plays later when he rushed up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown.

Staubach said he was excited to score the first touchdown at the new stadium.

McNick coach Steve Klonne, who will retire after 25 years of coaching in the Cincinnati area at the end of the season, was pleased with the win, but also glad the squad could start focusing on its next game.

“With all of the hoopla about the first game and homecoming here…I’m glad it’s over and we won and we can move on,” he said.

As the regular season start to wind down, McNick has postseason aspirations.

Through week seven, the Rockets were ranked No. 4 in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s region 12 computer rankings.

Roger Bacon, whom McNick beat 21-14 Oct. 7, was ranked first in that same poll.

Dooling believes the Roger Bacon win helped McNick make a statement about how good a team the Rockets can be.

“For McNick to go out, and win a game like that - we haven’t done that in the past,” Dooling said. “It made a huge statement for the whole team, that we could win a game like that.”

Klonne, who has 197 career wins, relishes the fact that McNick, who would be in the postseason if the playoffs started today, controls its own destiny (the top eight teams from each region receive playoff berths).

“That’s the way you hope you have it,” Klonne said. “We have really two tough games coming up. If we beat these next couple of opponents, we’ll have earned our way into the playoffs.”

McNick travels to Dayton Carroll Oct. 22, and ends the regular season at Badin Oct. 29.

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