Hausmann gets opening win
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CINCINNATI - Ohio State tight end commit Jake Hausmann and his Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller team got the season started the right way on Friday night with a 21-19 win over Indiana powerhouse Indianapolis Cathedral. The game was played as part of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium.
"We came out strong," said Hausmann after the game. "But then we lost our starting quarterback so our offense kind of slowed tempo down but we were still able to take care of business."
After a pair of catches for 21 yards and a few other targets in the first half, things slowed down for Hausmann and the Moeller offense in the second half. First, a punt return touchdown and then a fumbled punt return kept the Moeller offense on the sideline and then starting quarterback and Pittsburgh commit Thomas MacVittie went down with a third quarter injury. Hausmann was moved into the backfield often and utilized as a blocker both in the run game and as pass protection for Moeller backup Evan Ernst.
"We ran a lot of zone and a lot of power (in the second half)," he explained. "It's not that we didn't have confidence in our second string quarterback but we just really wanted to keep the ball on the ground."
Moeller had a 21-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but saw Cathedral rally to within two points with just over a minute to play. A two-point conversion attempt was swatted away by the Moeller defense to preserve the win.
"It's definitely a great win," he said. "They're a great team. They were all we thought they were and more so it's a great win for us to gain some confidence from."
Hausmann and Moeller will face another traditional power next weekend when they face Huber Heights Wayne on Sunday in a rematch from last year's playoffs.
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