Matt Ponatoski of Archbishop Moeller is the quarterback of the future for Kentucky football. He proved why in the Fighting Crusaders’ season-opening win over Princeton High School on Saturday — but not in the conventional way you’d expect from a four-star, top-100 gunslinger. In fact, the Wildcat pledge’s numbers don’t jump off the page at all. Ponatoski threw […]
Matt Ponatoski of Archbishop Moeller is the quarterback of the future for Kentucky football. He proved why in the Fighting Crusaders’ season-opening win over Princeton High School on Saturday — but not in the conventional way you’d expect from a four-star, top-100 gunslinger.
In fact, the Wildcat pledge’s numbers don’t jump off the page at all.
Ponatoski threw for just 79 yards on 9 of 21 overall as Moeller found itself down 13-0 late into the second quarter. Ugly, right? That is, until you see the Crusaders ended up running away with the 41-20 victory thanks to a program-record-tying six interceptions leading to five rushing touchdowns — one of those coming on a ridiculous scramble and score for the future Wildcat.
He fakes the handoff, shifts left, scrambles right, breaks a tackle in the backfield, jukes two defenders, breaks one more tackle and dives to the end zone for six. Moeller turned a tight 17-13 third-quarter lead into a comfortable 31-13 cushion in a matter of minutes, all thanks to Ponatoski’s legs.
Even on his worst day as a passer, he’s still going to put the team on his back and make winning plays.
Moeller QB Matt Ponatoski scores on this 10-yard TD run @WCPO pic.twitter.com/5STLSHd0oD
— Mike Dyer (@MikeDyer) August 23, 2025
The future Wildcat spoke that moment into existence with his coach right before.
“I think me and Matt (Ponatoski) had like a little conversation right then and said, ‘Hey, you’re built for this,’” Moeller football coach Bert Bathiany said after the win, via WCPO’s Mike Dyer. “’You were built for this. Lead us back, take us there.’ And he stuck with it. He got hit quite a bit. It shows his toughness, and I think it shows a little bit more of how much of an athlete he is.”
Ponatoski actually confirmed he “started cramping” and was “fighting for my life to get into the end zone” on the mad dash — to the point he had to shove his running back into the teeth of the defense just to create the space to get there — but he wasn’t going to be held out.
“I went through all four reads and didn’t really have anything. Trying to extend the play. I saw a hole,” he said.
“I’m trying to tell him to go down,” Bathiany added. “He didn’t listen to me that time. That’s one where I say, ‘Good job, don’t do it again.’ Proud of him.”
Anything to get to 1-0.
The reigning Ohio Mr. Football threw for over 4,200 yards and 57 touchdowns with just three interceptions in 2024, leading the Crusaders to the Division 1 state championship game. He announced his commitment to Kentucky as a dual-sport star on July 6, also set to play for Nick Mingione as a Bat Cat — because the top-15 baseball talent can also throw 101 mph rockets, in case you were curious.
His fastball sits at 95 mph while he’s also got an 80 mph curve in his back pocket, too.
Kentucky football and baseball commit, QB Matt Ponatoski touched 101 mph throwing across the diamond this summer at the @PerfectGameUSA National showcase.
— Cody Bellaire (@CodyBellaire) August 13, 2025
Ponatoski is a @Rivals rankings outlier and Top 100 national prospect in 2026.
Industry Comp: https://t.co/z5zICmXGChpic.twitter.com/i4TXBvG3oQ
“I’m going to try and do both for as long as possible. The goal for me is to be drafted in both [sports]. It sounds crazy, but Kyler Murray did it not too long ago,” he told KSR.
He’ll be leading Kentucky to the College Football Playoff on the football side of things and the College World Series on the baseball side. Stoops and Mingione will be thrilled to share joint custody.
Category: General Sports
