FORT LAUDERDALE — Cardinal Mooney wanted a chance to test their mettle against not only a top program in the state, but in the nation.
They got to do just that on Friday, Aug. 15, making the trip across Alligator Alley to take on St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 10 in the country, MaxPreps).
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The Raiders came out on top of a defensive grudge match 22-14 after tallying five takeaways, and then forcing three-straight turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.
St. Thomas Aquinas hosted Cardinal Mooney for a Kickoff Classic on Aug. 15, 2025. The Raiders won 22-14.
“I think that every day is the same for us,” said head coach Jared Clark. “We try to get 1 percent better every day and continue to stack days win, lose, or draw. I do think that going against a team of this caliber, and our kids knowing that they can play with anyone in the country, that definitely helps us.”
The Cougars, with freshman quarterback Davin Davidson starting, tested St. Thomas Aquinas’ defense early and jumped out to a 14-9 lead midway through the second quarter.
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But the Raiders defense woke up, and the secondary kept big gains to a minimum in the second half. The Raiders tallied at least seven PBUs as a team while reeling in two picks off the young signal-caller, and recovering a fumble. They also managed a pair of special team takeaways.
Cardinal Mooney quarterback Davin Davidson makes a pass in a Kickoff Classic game against St. Thomas Aquinas on Aug. 15, 2025. The Raiders won 22-14
“I saw a kid going against a heck of a defense,” Clark said about Davidson. “He was battling his rear end off and making plays. I thought he did a great job. He’s going to take this and get better.”
Cardinal Mooney’s defense stood tall as well and finished with nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The Cougars kept things within one score and had three chances to tie things up in the final frame.
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All three times, the Raiders forced miscues out of Cardinal Mooney and kept them out of the end zone.
Cardinal Mooney running back Connail Jackson sheds a St. Thomas Aquinas defender in a Kickoff Classic game on Aug. 15, 2025. The Raiders won 22-14.
Here are recruiting notes from some of the Power-4 prospects that shone in the Kickoff Classic.
Stat-stuffing night not enough for coveted DB Zaydin Gamble
Gamble, a four-star junior, stood out among the defensive backs. He had a pair of PBUs (including one in clutch time that forced fourth and long), a forced fumble, and an interception.
Despite the strong start to the year, Gamble says he’s not satisfied with his performance.
“(It’s my) expectations.” he said. “I always set the highest standard for myself, and the way that I played – I might have had a few highlight plays, but the plays didn’t execute on or didn’t make, those are the ones that stick in my head.”
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Gamble, who is ranked as the No. 11 safety in the country on 247Sports, lists Florida, Notre Dame, Miami as schools he’s developed good relationships with.
Miami, in particular, is sending the house at Gamble. He says the entire staff, from head coach Mario Cristobal to offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, plus plenty of others, have been maintaining contact for a long time.
5-star tackle Mark Matthews sifting through blue-blood offers
Matthews, standing at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, is a consensus top 3 tackle in the country.
Ohio State, Georgia, Nebraska, LSU, Oregon, Tennessee, Clemson, are all working hard to build a relationship with Matthews. He adds Texas and USC as schools on his radar that he wants to get to know.
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Of those schools, there are a few that stick out to him.
“Miami, of course, because it’s right down the road,” he said. “Nebraska. And also Ohio State, I’d love to get out to Ohio State. I’m going to try to the Texas and Ohio State game, but we play a really good team that week so I might not be able to.”
He says he wants to commit before the start of his senior year.
Notre Dame commit Elijah Golden shines in loss
Golden, the No. 40 player in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100, tallied a pair of sacks and 1.5 TFL.
None came at a better time than in the back-end of the third quarter, when he came up with a TFL and sack in back-to-back plays that forced a punt.
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Other recruiting notes
LB KJ Brown (Cardinal Mooney): Brown, 6-foot and 215 pounds, looked exceptional in pressure. He tallied 2.5 TFL in the loss.
TE/DE Wyatt Smith (St. Thomas Aquinas): Smith shined in the pivotal fourth quarter. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound junior finished with a TFL, sack, and PBU at the line of scrimmage.
WR Kymistrii Young (Cardinal Mooney): Young, a Purdue commit, reeled in a high-ball through traffic before escaping for an 81-yard touchdown. He had 127 receiving yards on five catches.
WR Julius Jones (St. Thomas Aquinas): Jones diced up the Cougar secondary all night, and got a fresh highlight after reeling in a jump ball over his defender in the corner of the end zone.
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ATH Jermiyah Douglas (St. Thomas Aquinas): Douglas had solid coverage all night, came up with a fumble recovery, and took a kickoff return 85-plus yards for a house call. He also had timely receptions in the second half that moved the chains for the Raiders when their offense stagnated.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cardinal Mooney falls to St. Thomas Aquinas in Kickoff Classic
