'He's pretty special' | Moeller QB Matt Ponatoski leads Crusaders past Princeton

Moeller junior quarterback Matt Ponatoski had a season opener that he won’t soon forget.

Ponatoski unofficially threw for a career-high 415 yards on 26 of 32 passing and four touchdowns as Moeller defeated host Princeton 38-21 Friday night.

“That’s who he is, man,” Moeller football coach Bert Bathiany said. “I get to see it every day. It doesn’t surprise me at all but he’s pretty special.”

Friday night was the first time that Moeller and Princeton played in the regular season since 2008. It was the first time overall the team played since the 2021 postseason. The marquee game was sold out (5,000 capacity) by early Friday afternoon.

Moeller led 14-7 at halftime and scored 28 unanswered points between the second and third quarters.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to be happy with where we’re at right now,” Bathiany said. “Our ideas are always going to be better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow. A lot of good things. A lot of things we got to work on. By no means are we a finished product.”

Ponatoski, Moeller’s single-season passing yards leader, found senior wide receiver Jovan Love for a 33-yard pass connection to help set up sophomore Benjamin Rice’s 1-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7.

He threw to eight receivers Friday night. Moeller had unofficially 465 yards of total offense.

“It was a hyped-up game,” Ponatoski said. “We didn’t make it too big and we calmed the moment down. We played pretty good all around the field in all aspects of the game.”

Ponatoski’s previous career-high in passing yards for a single game was 373 yards against Lakewood St. Edward in Week 9 of the 2023 season, according to Moeller statistician George Smith.

“I’m not surprised,” Ponatoski said. “We’re out there working in the offseason all the time. I’m not surprised by any of their success and the routes they run.”

Ponatoski understands Moeller is the focus of every opponent on the schedule. Still, he believes the Crusaders are “underdogs” when they take the field.

“I love it, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Ponatoski said. “There’s more to play for when somebody’s hunting you. We’re always the underdogs even if people say we aren’t so we’re coming at teams — as hard as they are coming at us – we’re coming right back at them as hard.”

Moeller improved to 39-7 against Princeton in the overall series which dates back to 1965. Moeller has won 17 consecutive games against Princeton with its most recent loss in 1991.

Moeller plays at Bishop Dwenger (Ind.) Aug. 30. Princeton plays at Sycamore Aug. 30.

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