October 16, 2023

Cub Football - Crunch time at hand as Loyola plays for potential playoff berth

LOYOLA'S GAME AGAINST PARACLETE ON FRIDAY CRITICAL IN QUEST FOR PLAYOFF BERTH
Some Cub football supporters have commented that Loyola's tough non-league schedule was not conducive to the overall success of the 2023 campaign. The reality is that the rigors involved of playing quality opponents has been paying dividends of late.

In their last two games the Cubs' superior physicality was evident in limiting St. Paul to 41 rushing yards while amassing close to 300 yards of their own on the ground, and rolling out to a 45-7 lead over Crespi last Friday. In the league opener against St. Francis on September 29, Loyola's last-play pass into the Golden Knights' end zone was incomplete, but the team served notice in the 26-21 defeat at the hands of St. Francis that it would be a factor in the Angelus League title chase. 

Save for their season opening loss to Damien, the Cubs (3-5, 2-1) were in every game in logging a 1-4 non-league record against quality opponents. It would be safe to say that Loyola was battle tested entering the five-game Angelus League slate.

The level of competition in pre-league contests provided the ballast needed for the conference grind.

The Cub offensive line continues to make big strides, and the defensive line, with recent contributions from juniors DECLAN O'LIONAIN and JACK SIMIC adding to the solid play of IKE SANDERS, CHAMP WESTBROOKS and RONAN O'ROURKE, is competing at a high level. Senior linebacker KEVIN LINARES has been a solid addition to the linebacker rotation, supporting HENRY CASANI, RONEN ZAMORANO. and SCOTT TAYLOR.

Sophomore tailback SEAN MORRIS has emerged as a big time running back. He has rushed for over 400 yards in his last two outings and averaged 12.9 yards per carry against Crespi. Morris combines great power, balance and speed, and is already attracting keen interest from FBS programs.

Loyola faces a serious challenge this Friday when it hosts a solid Paraclete (6-2, 1-2) squad in a contest that will have a major impact on the future trajectory of both teams.

Coming off a loss to St. Paul after losing a double overtime heartbreaker to first place St. Francis, the Spirits face potential playoff elimination with a loss to the Cubs. Meanwhile, Loyola could very well lock up a playoff invitation with a victory and still vie for a share of the Angelus League title if it wins out and St. Francis is upset by St. Paul in their league finale.

If the Cubs lose on Friday, it will make its October 27 road battle against Cathedral a must-win contest if they hope to earn a potential playoff berth.

Suffice to say, there will be a lot on the line for the Big Blue this Friday at Smith Field on Senior Night. Loyola certainly will continue to benefit from playing tough games against formidable non-league opponents.

A LOOK AT PARACLETE
Spirits head coach John Perez has done an outstanding job of leading his veteran squad to a turnaround campaign after finishing 1-9 last season.

Paraclete averages 26 points per game on offense while limiting opponents to an average of just 16 defensively.  

The Spirits (6-2, 1-2) trounced Heritage Christian, 35-6; downed Garces Memorial (Bakersfield), 21-14; blasted Serrano, 35-6; nudged Westlake, 10-7; routed North Torrance, 40-13; recorded an impressive 21-7 victory over Cathedral; lost a double overtime nail biter to St. Francis, 28-21; and were beaten by resurgent St. Paul, 40-28 last Friday.

While Paraclete's offense is formidable, it is the Spirits' defensive platoon that has played the biggest role in the Lancaster school's six victories in which the opposition could muster an average of only 8.8 points per game.

Fast and physical, the defensive platoon is manned by an outstanding group, led by linebacker Deshaun Malone (6-0, 190), who is the tackle leader with 90 stops including 53 solos. Malone is tied for the squad's lead in sacks with seven and has three hurries to his credit.

Sophomore corner Stacy Gentle (6-0, 165) is second on the tackle list with 52, including 30 solo stops, and leads the unit in passes defended with 10. Senior DB Jacob Lopez has made 48 tackles and snagged two interceptions. 

Senior defensive end Chas Milner has made 47 tackles, is tied for the lead in sacks with seven and leads the squad with 10 hurries.

On the offensive side, the Spirits are led by 6-2, 205-pound dual threat signal caller Tyler Soles, who has completed 119 of 189 passes (63%) for 1,872 yards (234 yards per game, 15.7 yards per completion), and thrown for 16 TDs and nine interceptions. Soles threw for 377 yards at an 80% clip against St. Paul last Friday. Paraclete passes 64 percent of the time and runs the ball on 36% of its plays.

The leading runner is senior tailback Takai Brown who has rushed for 529 yards (5.2 ypc) and scored four TDs. Soles has 373 yards on the ground with a 6.5 yards per carry average. Powerful senior RB Tyler Neal (6-2, 230) is a beast.

The Spirits' receiving corps is fast and athletic. Senior Adrian Jones has caught 27 passes for 452 yards (16.7 yards per catch). Freshman phenom Eric Green has 30 receptions for 368 yards (12.3 ypc), senior Mister Burnside, a 6-3 speedster, has caught 25 tosses for 359 yards (14.4 ypc); and sophomore sensation Dillon Booth (5-9, 165) has 15 receptions for 344 yards and an eye-popping average of 22.9 yards per catch. Booth has scored a TD on an average of one in every four receptions.

Paraclete's offensive line is big and strong, which is a primary reason for the Spirits' offensive proficiency.

GAME OUTLOOK
This contest will be determined by the play of both teams' offensive and defensive lines. If Loyola's ground attack holds to its recent form, the Cubs will have a good shot at winning the game. Loyola's passing attack will need to improve against a ball hawking secondary. 

it is highly likely the Spirits will emulate St. Francis' defensive game plan employed against the Big Blue - sell out to stop the run. If they are successful in doing so, that will not bode well for the home team.

The Cubs have struggled defensively against teams sporting dual threat QBs. Loyola cannot let Soles go off as a runner. The Cub secondary will need to limit big plays by a group of speedy receivers. This may be the overall best group of pass catchers Loyola has faced.

The Big Blue will be facing a squad that is playing for its playoff life. Loyola probably will need to score at least 28 points to notch the win. The CalPreps computer basically projects the contest as a toss up, predicting a one-point Cubs' win. The home field advantage could prove beneficial.

Encourage great attendance and crowd participation. Loyola needs fans in the stands. 

THE SERIES
The schools met on the gridiron for the first time last season. The Cubs had their hands full throughout the game, which was played at Antelope Valley College, but came through with a hard fought 31-12 triumph.
 

FORMER FOOTBALL STARS TO BE HONORED AT LOYOLA ALUMNI DINNER - REGISTER NOW
Former Loyola high school All-American quarterback BRENDAN McCRACKEN '84, who continued his football career at UCLA, and All-Del Rey League linebacker CHRIS RISING '87, who was a starting linebacker at Duke University following his graduation from The High, are two of the three Cub alumni, along with J. Howard Johnson '54, who are being honored at Loyola's annual Alumni Dinner on November 24.

The deadline to register is October 27. Be sure to register now!! The Loyola website has registration information. Spread the word!!

TWO CUBS FACE OFF IN NFL GAME
Former Loyola DB stars MYLES BRYANT '16 (New England Patriots) and DAVID LONG, JR. '16 (Las Vegas Raiders) were on the same field in Las Vegas last night when the Raiders defeated the Patriots in a close one. It can't be too often that two high school teammates play against one another in an NFL game.

COLEMAN SHELTON '13, the Los Angeles Rams' starting center, played a great game in the Rams' win over Arizona on Sunday night.

SHELTON and LONG were teammates and starters on the Super Bowl LVI champion Rams team.

PRE-GAME
Loyola varsity parents will attend a players' families-only Senior Night celebration before the game on Friday night.

Cub alumni, lower division parents and supporters will meet at El Cholo at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

2023 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/ RESULTS 
August 25             @ Damien (L 35-14)
September 1       Culver City (W 24-6)
September 8       Leuzinger (L 35-14)
September 15    @ Chaminade (L 42-35)
September 22    Oaks Christian (L 31-14)
September 29    @ St. Francis* (L 26-21)
October 6              St. Paul* (W 25-11)
October 13           @ Crespi* (W 45-28)
October 20           Paraclete*
October 29           @ Cathedral* 
(* denotes Angelus League game)

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Thirty-three 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)
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, OL ( UCLA)