Cub Football - Chance to climb the ladder against talented Leuzinger - Taco Tailgate before game

LOYOLA WIN AGAINST CULVER CITY DEMONSTRATES PROGRESS
A young Cub team which is manned by 15 underclass starters took a step in the right direction last Friday in a decisive 24-6 victory against Culver City.

The biggest positive takeaway was the speed and aggressiveness with which Loyola's 'Wolfpack' defense played. The Centaurs' skill position athletes were frustrated all night by a fired up group of Cub defenders. On the offensive side of the ball, Loyola's passing attack also showed impressive improvement. 

Further progress will be needed starting this week against the remaining three-game non-league gauntlet against excellent opponents.

CUB NUMBERS OF NOTE
Junior QB THOMAS "T.K." KNYAL completed 16 of 28 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns against Culver City. He was the Max Preps' Player-of-the-Game. 

Seven Loyola defenders have recorded double digit tackles in the first two games: Sophomore inside linebacker RONEN ZAMORANO (20), Junior inside linebacker HENRY CASANI (19), senior safety JAKE ARELLANO (14), junior corner BROCK BOJORQUEZ (14), sophomore DB/OLB PETER SCIARRINO (14), senior DB CHAZ AUSTIN (13), junior outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR (13), senior Edge ISAIAH SANDERS (11), junior safety DESI VALDES (11).

Junior outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR (6-4, 230) is having an impressive start to the season with eight tackles for loss, three sacks and five hurries. He is also a big weapon at tight end.

All-CIF senior Edge IKE SANDERS has 16 quarterback hurries in two games.

Junior WR DUKE GIARRAPUTO is proving to be a game changing member of the Cubs' receiving corps. Against Culver City, the 6-3 receiver had eight catches for 130 yards, including a 61-yard TD.

Senior wide out KHALIL CUEVA continues to make clutch catches. He has two TD grabs in as many games.

Loyola's defense held the Centaurs to 47 rushing yards.

JAKE ARELLANO and DESI VALDEZ each have one interception.

A LOOK AT THE LEUZINGER OLYMPIANS
This Friday, the Cubs (1-1) will host a big, strong and fast Leuzinger squad at Smith Field. Coach Brandon Manumaleuna's veteran Olympians are 2-1 with a zero week 33-7 win over Norco and a 40-19 romp against Ayala last Friday.

In its second game Leuzinger lost to the L.A. Times' 13th-ranked squad, Edison, 17-0, in a contest that was closer than the final tally.

The Olympians feature a powerful running game led by ultra-fast junior RB Damonte Bias (6-0, 170) who is averaging 126.7 rushing yards per contest and 6.4 yards per carry.

Junior QB Ja'ere Alexander (5-11, 165) has not put up big passing numbers (66.7 yards per game), but he is lightening quick. He averages 6.1 yards per carry .

The Olympians are massive up front on both sides of the ball. The two most highly touted trench men are major college scholarship prospects, senior Jordan Tonga (6-3, 305) and offensive lineman Blake Graham (6-3, 280).

Leuzinger's defense has given up only 43 points in three games. The leader of the Olympian stop squad is monstrous sophomore linebacker Samu Moala (6-3, 230), who has racked up 20 solo tackles out of his team-leading 24 stops.

Junior outside linebacker Brandon Smith has 15 total and 12 solo tackles to his credit. Junior defensive end Fulitaunga Moa is a sack machine who is virtually impossible to handle as is senior DL Lolani Poto la ka Finau (6-3, 285).

GAME OUTLOOK Friday's contest marks the first ever meeting between the schools on the gridiron. The prospects for an exciting game are good.

Loyola must slow down Luezinger's impressive running game. It is anticipated that the Olympians will try to pound the ball with their speedy backs behind a huge offensive line.

The Cub offensive line must have its best outing of the season thus far. If Loyola cannot establish its run game, the chances for a Cub win will be slim.

It is noteworthy that the Olympians have totaled only 200 passing yards, completing just 23 aerials in 48 attempts. It is a good bet that Leuzinger will pass more than usual to in an attempt soften up Loyola's defense. The game just might come down to which squad performs better on special teams.

HOW LOYOLA'S FUTURE OPPONENTS FARED LAST WEEK

LUEZINGER 40, Ayala 19
The Olympians overpowered Ayala in an impressive showing.

JSerra 41, CHAMINADE 7
Chaminade has played a brutal schedule thus far. The Eagles host Loyola in two weeks in West Hills.

OAKS CHRISTIAN 50, Eastvale Roosevelt 14
The Lions, ranked 13th in the state, are a juggernaut.

Millikan 17, ST. FRANCIS 10
The Rams were the first team to slow down the Golden Knights' prolific passing attack. St. Francis gained only 60 yards through the air.

Notre Dame 42, CRESPI 0
The Celts continue to struggle as they attempt to rebuild.

PARACLETE 35, Serrano 6
The undefeated Spirits (3-0) are quietly serving notice that Paraclete will be a factor in the Angelus League race.

Gardena Serra 47, Cathedral 14
The Phantoms have had a rough go of it against elite competition.
 

2023 LOYOLA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS

August 25          @ Damien (L 35-14)
September 1      Culver City (W 24-6)
September 8      Leuzinger
September 15    @ Chaminade
September 22    Oaks Christian
September 29    @ St. Francis*
October 6           St. Paul*
October 13         @ Crespi*
October 20         Paraclete*
October 29         @ Cathedral* 
(* denotes Angelus League game)
 

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Thirty-four Loyola grads are competing on college football teams this fall at schools from Storrs, Connecticut to Los Angeles; Northfield, Minnesota to New York City; Fort Worth, Texas to Princeton, New Jersey; Grinnel, Iowa to Berkeley; and Austin, Texas to Chicago.

Here is the current list of Cubs participating in college football (in alphabetical order):
NICK ANDERSON ‘20, OL (Denison)
SINJUN ASTANI ‘17, DL (USC)
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB (Tulane)
JP BAUTISTA (Pasadena College)
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K (Mississippi State)
GEORGE CARATAN '18 , P (Connecticut)
JAC CASASANTE ‘18, LS (USC)
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL (Bowdoin)
JORDAN HEWITT '23 (UCLA)
ALEX JOHNSON '18, DB (UCLA)
JEFFREY JOHNSON '21, TE (Cal)
JACOBY KELLY ‘22, WR (Cerritos College)
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, DL (Grinnel)
LEIGHTON LINE '23, DL (Cal Lutheran)
CARTER LINK ‘20, LB (SMU)
SHAWN LIN ‘22, DL (Columbia)
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB (Angelo State)
JUSTIN MURRAY '22, LB (Santa Monica College)
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20 DB (Carleton)
TAHJ OWENS ‘22, DB (Princeton)
JACK PARIS '23, OL (MIT)
RYAN QUINTANAR ‘20, LB (TCU)
XAVIER RICE '23, QB (Duquesne)
DAKOTA SMITH '18, LB (Minnesota State)
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB (Columbia)
ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB (Connecticut)
HENRY STICKLER '21, WR (SMU)
JACK SUSNJAR '23, OL (USC)
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB (Texas)
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB (UCLA)
WILKE WILES '23, WR (University of Chicago) 
HOLMES WORMALD '23, TE (Merchant Marine Academy)
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB ( USC)
SAM YOON ‘22

TACO TAILGATE ON FRIDAY AT LOYOLA

THE INSERT BELOW WAS PASTED FROM AN EMAIL. Hopefully it will work.