Cub Football - Huge game against Chaminade on Friday could go a long way in determining Loyola's playoff fate
LOYOLA FACES BEST 3-4 TEAM IN STATE ON FRIDAY - A WIN WOULD ENHANCE PLAYOFF PROSPECTS
Loyola hosts Mission League foe West Hills Chaminade at Smith Field on Senior Night this Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles, ranked 66th in California by MaxPreps, are without a doubt the best 3-5 team in California. Chaminade is coming off a heartbreaking 35-28, overtime home loss to highly regarded Alemany in West Hills last Friday. The Eagles blew out an injury-depleted Notre Dame squad, 35-14, on October 4.
Chaminade has proven that it can compete with top tier teams. Friday's clash with the Cubs has major implications for a Loyola squad that probably will need at least one win in its final two conference contests to have a shot at making the sixteen-team CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoff field. There are 19 schools in Division 4, and the Cubs are not yet assured of being included in the post season tournament field. A win against a very underrated and talented Eagles squad certainly would aid Loyola's cause
A LOOK AT THE THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT, THE CHAMINADE EAGLES
West Hills Chaminade head coach Ed Croson must have headaches over his squad’s performances throughout the 2019 campaign. It has been a roller coaster ride. The Eagles suffered a close, opening game loss (13-7) to Westlake Village Oaks Christian, then were beaten by small school power Lancaster Paraclete, 34-14, in their second contest.
After routing two sub par foes, Lake Balboa Birmingham, 41-14, and Encino Crespi, 55-14, in games three and four it looked like Chaminade had taken flight. But a trip up Highway 101 to Oxnard for its final non-league tilt ended in a 50-28 loss to the Oxnard Yellowjackets, the second-ranked team in Division 5. Then, seemingly coming out of nowhere, the Eagles soundly defeated injury-depleted Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 35-14, in their first Mission League battle in West Hills. Chaminade kept it close against league title favorite La Puente Bishop Amat on October 11 before falling, 31-21. Last Friday, the Eagles lost a nail biter to Bishop Alemany, 35-28, in overtime. Without a doubt, Chaminade is the best 3-5 team in the state.
The Eagles have a potent, balanced offense which averages 199 yards per game passing and 169 yards rushing. The player who is the linchpin of Chaminade’s attack is junior quarterback Jaylen Henderson (6-3, 195). A true dual threat signal caller, the talented athlete had completed 61% of his passes for 1,595 yards (15 yards per completion). Against Alemany last Friday, he threw for 258 yards Henderson has also amassed 438 yards on the ground with an impressive 7.1 yards per carry average. The other big time Chaminade play maker is fast, powerful senior running back William Camacho (5-9, 185) who has a 8.4 per carry rushing average with 667 yards and 12 TDs.
Henderson’s go-to wideout is junior speedster Jordan McIntyre (6-0, 175) who has hauled in 32 passes for 375 yards with an average of 11.7 yards per catch. Freshman phenom Ian Duarte has exploded onto the scene. Against Alemany last Friday, Duarte displayed killer speed in amassing 211 receiving yards, including a 99-yard TD catch and run. Camacho is also a major receiving threat out of the backfield. He has 314 yards in receptions with an eye-popping 21-yards per catch average.
The Eagles’ defense has not been quite as solid as its offense thus far, but has shown signs of improvement. Senior safety Isaac Gallegos (6-0, 180) is all over the field. He leads Chaminade in tackles with 40 solos. Hard-hitting senior linebacker Bryce Mack (6-0, 205) is the second leading tackler on a squad that relinquishes an average of 29 points per game.
OUTLOOK
Loyola’s defense has to find a way to make dual threat maestro Henderson one dimensional and keep Camacho’s big plays to a minimum. The Cub offense likely will need to score 28 or more points to secure a victory.
THE SERIES
The Eagles’ and Cubs’ first fray was in 2007. Loyola came away with a 17-7 victory. The Cubs won three out of the first four contests, but the Eagles have since won three straight.
Loyola hosts Mission League foe West Hills Chaminade at Smith Field on Senior Night this Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles, ranked 66th in California by MaxPreps, are without a doubt the best 3-5 team in California. Chaminade is coming off a heartbreaking 35-28, overtime home loss to highly regarded Alemany in West Hills last Friday. The Eagles blew out an injury-depleted Notre Dame squad, 35-14, on October 4.
Chaminade has proven that it can compete with top tier teams. Friday's clash with the Cubs has major implications for a Loyola squad that probably will need at least one win in its final two conference contests to have a shot at making the sixteen-team CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoff field. There are 19 schools in Division 4, and the Cubs are not yet assured of being included in the post season tournament field. A win against a very underrated and talented Eagles squad certainly would aid Loyola's cause
A LOOK AT THE THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT, THE CHAMINADE EAGLES
West Hills Chaminade head coach Ed Croson must have headaches over his squad’s performances throughout the 2019 campaign. It has been a roller coaster ride. The Eagles suffered a close, opening game loss (13-7) to Westlake Village Oaks Christian, then were beaten by small school power Lancaster Paraclete, 34-14, in their second contest.
After routing two sub par foes, Lake Balboa Birmingham, 41-14, and Encino Crespi, 55-14, in games three and four it looked like Chaminade had taken flight. But a trip up Highway 101 to Oxnard for its final non-league tilt ended in a 50-28 loss to the Oxnard Yellowjackets, the second-ranked team in Division 5. Then, seemingly coming out of nowhere, the Eagles soundly defeated injury-depleted Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 35-14, in their first Mission League battle in West Hills. Chaminade kept it close against league title favorite La Puente Bishop Amat on October 11 before falling, 31-21. Last Friday, the Eagles lost a nail biter to Bishop Alemany, 35-28, in overtime. Without a doubt, Chaminade is the best 3-5 team in the state.
The Eagles have a potent, balanced offense which averages 199 yards per game passing and 169 yards rushing. The player who is the linchpin of Chaminade’s attack is junior quarterback Jaylen Henderson (6-3, 195). A true dual threat signal caller, the talented athlete had completed 61% of his passes for 1,595 yards (15 yards per completion). Against Alemany last Friday, he threw for 258 yards Henderson has also amassed 438 yards on the ground with an impressive 7.1 yards per carry average. The other big time Chaminade play maker is fast, powerful senior running back William Camacho (5-9, 185) who has a 8.4 per carry rushing average with 667 yards and 12 TDs.
Henderson’s go-to wideout is junior speedster Jordan McIntyre (6-0, 175) who has hauled in 32 passes for 375 yards with an average of 11.7 yards per catch. Freshman phenom Ian Duarte has exploded onto the scene. Against Alemany last Friday, Duarte displayed killer speed in amassing 211 receiving yards, including a 99-yard TD catch and run. Camacho is also a major receiving threat out of the backfield. He has 314 yards in receptions with an eye-popping 21-yards per catch average.
The Eagles’ defense has not been quite as solid as its offense thus far, but has shown signs of improvement. Senior safety Isaac Gallegos (6-0, 180) is all over the field. He leads Chaminade in tackles with 40 solos. Hard-hitting senior linebacker Bryce Mack (6-0, 205) is the second leading tackler on a squad that relinquishes an average of 29 points per game.
OUTLOOK
Loyola’s defense has to find a way to make dual threat maestro Henderson one dimensional and keep Camacho’s big plays to a minimum. The Cub offense likely will need to score 28 or more points to secure a victory.
THE SERIES
The Eagles’ and Cubs’ first fray was in 2007. Loyola came away with a 17-7 victory. The Cubs won three out of the first four contests, but the Eagles have since won three straight.
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