Last June, he committed to Virginia and Malvern coach Kevin Pellegrini is now saying he might be the best blocker in the program's glorious history.
"He's relentless," Pellegrini said yesterday, as the Friars went through their practice paces. "You never have to tell him to go to the whistle. His goal, always, is to put his assigned guy on the ground. And he often does it."
Plus, aside from being ornery, he's a bit of a nomad.
Pellegrini mentioned a play in last Saturday's one-sided win over Penn Charter. Like pretty much always, Mooney lined up at left tackle. Shawn Wilson got the carry. And far downfield, at the right hash mark, Mooney pummeled a would-be tackler.
Pellegrini had never informed Mooney of his place on the Friars' big-'uns pedestal. So, when the coach's words were relayed to him yesterday, Mooney looked stunned. (And not because a quartet of beautiful girls just happened to be walking past en route, assumedly, to a soccer game elsewhere on campus.)
"Wow, that's quite an accomplishment," he semi-stammered. "This school has had a lot of great linemen. Do I believe what he said? Well, I do have confidence in myself."
Much credit goes to his older brothers, former Friars CJ (junior at Penn) and Sean (freshman at Towson). They, too, are gridders.
"It really helped being able to follow them, especially since we're close in age," Michael said. "I always had that taste of what it was like [to succeed]. They always told me to put it into my mind that I could do it, and they've always been great with showing me things and letting me work out with them."
So, was one brother prone to nurturing while the other, say, played the part of mean cop?
Michael declined to get dragged into that potential mess.
"I like 'em both," he said, smiling. "Equally."
Also, he didn't hesitate to point out that his sister, Katie, is a blossoming field hockey, basketball and lacrosse stalwart at nearby Villa Maria Academy.
