CUB FOOTBALL - Final game of shortened season on Saturday against another old league foe
LOYOLA TO PLAY FOR UNDISPUTED ANGELUS LEAGUE TITLE AGAINST CRESPI SATURDAY
Loyola (3-0, 2-0) will end its delayed and shortened “2020” football campaign on Friday at 7:00 p.m. against former longtime league rival Crespi Carmelite at Pius X-St. Matthias in Downey. The Cubs are coming off a 31-0 road victory against Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, which secured them no worse than a league co-championship. Loyola is 2-0 in conference play, Crespi is 1-1, St. Francis is 1-1, and St. Paul is 0-2.
The Celts (3-1, 1-1) had broken into the Los Angeles Times’ top 25 Southland rankings after a couple of impressive non-league wins (53-43 over Calabasas, 43-28 against Westlake), but had a tough go of it in their Angelus opener versus St. Paul two weeks ago, hanging on for a 22-15 victory in Encino. Unfortunately, Crespi lost its starting and backup quarterbacks with season ending injuries in that game, and two of their starting linemen have also gone down with injuries.
The Celts were blown out by St. Francis in La Canada last Saturday, 63-26. Given the deluge of bad fortune that has plagued Crespi, it is clear it is facing an uphill climb in its final game of the season.
The Cubs moved up to the number 17 spot in the MaxPreps’ and CalHi Sports’ state rankings after shutting out the Swordsmen on Friday.
A LOOK AT THE CELTS
Head coach Dameon Porter is hoping his Crespi crew can regather itself after the unexpected debacle at St. Francis. It turns out that the emergency starter behind center, senior Johnny Schaefer (6-0, 170) has proven more than capable of running the Celts’ offense. The converted wide receiver has thrown for 201 yards, completing 15 of 24 (63 %) of his throws. He is averaging a solid 13.4 yards per completion. The top receiver is sophomore Holden Gering (5-10, 150), who is averaging 13.7 yards per catch.
The player that really fuels the offense is 5’ 8” junior running back K Calhoun. The diminutive speedster has rushed for 501 yards on 61 carries and seven touchdowns, averaging an impressive 8.2 yards per carry.
Crespi is averaging 36 points per game on offense. While that is a good metric, the Celts are relinquishing an average of 37 points per outing on defense. The big thumper on the stop unit is junior linebacker Gabe Gangi (6-1, 210). Senior DB Chance Tucker (6-1, 175), a University of Notre Dame commit, is the most talented player on Crespi’s roster.
GAME OUTLOOK
If Loyola’s offense is hitting on all cylinders, it does not appear on paper that the Celts can realistically look forward to a great night. Crespi’s best chance for an upset will be to force Cub turnovers and turn the contest into a shootout.
THE SERIES
The schools first met on the gridiron in 1973. The biggest game between Loyola and Crespi was in 1987, when both teams were ranked in the national top 10. The Cubs’ ‘Wolfpack’ defense held vaunted All-American Celt running back Russell White to 19 net yards before a standing-room-only crowd at Lake Balboa Birmingham. Loyola won the classic, 15-8. Most of the battles between the programs have been highly competitive.
The Cubs have dominated the series, holding an overall 27-9-1 advantage (77%) in the win-loss ledger.
GAME WILL BE BROADCAST
Below is the link for the game broadcast. Only players and coaches’ families will be allowed to attend the game. To watch the broadcast, there is a fee.
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/
HELP SUPPORT LOYOLA FOOTBALL - PLEASE JOIN THE LOYOLA GRIDIRON VANGUARD
please join the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard, Loyola’s football support group. If you have been a member please renew your membership. The program relies on donations for financial assistance, including team meals, passing tournament entry fees, among many other necessities.
https://www.loyolahs.edu/lgv/
FOLLOW CUB FOOTBALL ON THE LOYOLA GRIDIRON VANGUARD FACEBOOK PAGE
Be sure to follow Loyola football on the Loyola Gridiron Facebook page.
Loyola (3-0, 2-0) will end its delayed and shortened “2020” football campaign on Friday at 7:00 p.m. against former longtime league rival Crespi Carmelite at Pius X-St. Matthias in Downey. The Cubs are coming off a 31-0 road victory against Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, which secured them no worse than a league co-championship. Loyola is 2-0 in conference play, Crespi is 1-1, St. Francis is 1-1, and St. Paul is 0-2.
The Celts (3-1, 1-1) had broken into the Los Angeles Times’ top 25 Southland rankings after a couple of impressive non-league wins (53-43 over Calabasas, 43-28 against Westlake), but had a tough go of it in their Angelus opener versus St. Paul two weeks ago, hanging on for a 22-15 victory in Encino. Unfortunately, Crespi lost its starting and backup quarterbacks with season ending injuries in that game, and two of their starting linemen have also gone down with injuries.
The Celts were blown out by St. Francis in La Canada last Saturday, 63-26. Given the deluge of bad fortune that has plagued Crespi, it is clear it is facing an uphill climb in its final game of the season.
The Cubs moved up to the number 17 spot in the MaxPreps’ and CalHi Sports’ state rankings after shutting out the Swordsmen on Friday.
A LOOK AT THE CELTS
Head coach Dameon Porter is hoping his Crespi crew can regather itself after the unexpected debacle at St. Francis. It turns out that the emergency starter behind center, senior Johnny Schaefer (6-0, 170) has proven more than capable of running the Celts’ offense. The converted wide receiver has thrown for 201 yards, completing 15 of 24 (63 %) of his throws. He is averaging a solid 13.4 yards per completion. The top receiver is sophomore Holden Gering (5-10, 150), who is averaging 13.7 yards per catch.
The player that really fuels the offense is 5’ 8” junior running back K Calhoun. The diminutive speedster has rushed for 501 yards on 61 carries and seven touchdowns, averaging an impressive 8.2 yards per carry.
Crespi is averaging 36 points per game on offense. While that is a good metric, the Celts are relinquishing an average of 37 points per outing on defense. The big thumper on the stop unit is junior linebacker Gabe Gangi (6-1, 210). Senior DB Chance Tucker (6-1, 175), a University of Notre Dame commit, is the most talented player on Crespi’s roster.
GAME OUTLOOK
If Loyola’s offense is hitting on all cylinders, it does not appear on paper that the Celts can realistically look forward to a great night. Crespi’s best chance for an upset will be to force Cub turnovers and turn the contest into a shootout.
THE SERIES
The schools first met on the gridiron in 1973. The biggest game between Loyola and Crespi was in 1987, when both teams were ranked in the national top 10. The Cubs’ ‘Wolfpack’ defense held vaunted All-American Celt running back Russell White to 19 net yards before a standing-room-only crowd at Lake Balboa Birmingham. Loyola won the classic, 15-8. Most of the battles between the programs have been highly competitive.
The Cubs have dominated the series, holding an overall 27-9-1 advantage (77%) in the win-loss ledger.
GAME WILL BE BROADCAST
Below is the link for the game broadcast. Only players and coaches’ families will be allowed to attend the game. To watch the broadcast, there is a fee.
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/
HELP SUPPORT LOYOLA FOOTBALL - PLEASE JOIN THE LOYOLA GRIDIRON VANGUARD
please join the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard, Loyola’s football support group. If you have been a member please renew your membership. The program relies on donations for financial assistance, including team meals, passing tournament entry fees, among many other necessities.
https://www.loyolahs.edu/lgv/
FOLLOW CUB FOOTBALL ON THE LOYOLA GRIDIRON VANGUARD FACEBOOK PAGE
Be sure to follow Loyola football on the Loyola Gridiron Facebook page.
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