September 18, 2022

Cub Football - Looking at the positives - A look at Oaks Christian

LOYOLA HAS SHOWN ‘WANT IT’ - SIX GAMES REMAIN TO PROVE CUBS’ METTLE
Loyola’s 2022 varsity football team was expected to take a step back with a large contingent of excellent ballplayers, including three All-CIF performers and several other top notch competitors graduating last spring. And compounding the challenges presented by those graduation losses were the transfer of two of the team’s best players out of the program this summer.

Indeed, the going has been tough for the Cubs (1-3) four games into the season. But the team has demonstrated a will to fight. It may not be apparent from the lopsided final score (48-10) of last Friday’s loss to Chaminade, the eighth-ranked team in the Southland.

A look back, though, at more than a half of the contest against a significantly talented top state-ranked team, showed a feisty, physical effort, especially on the defensive side of the ball, with the Cubs drawing to within three points after converting on a 37-yard field goal to make the score 13-10 early in the third quarter. 

Sacks by the ‘Wolfpack’ stop squad, a forced strip fumble and consistent pressure on the Eagles’ San Diego State-bound QB, all kept Loyola in the game. And all of those plays came with great effort and strong will.

Big plays in the later stages of the contest against a defense that was on the field most of the game resulted, to some degree, from fatigue, but the visitors could not take the fight out of the Big Blue.

A similar effort was put forth the previous week in the heartbreaking one-point loss (15-14) to a Pasadena team that is highly favored to finish the regular season with a 9-1 record and the Pacific League championship.

Despite the Cubs’ offensive struggles-two offensive line starters were out with injuries on Friday-there is both ample room and time for improvement on that side of the ball.

Loyola still has six regular season games on the slate. The toughest opponent of the six remaining opponents is Oaks Christian, which lost to Chaminade by just seven points in a non-league tilt in its first outing. The Big Blue travels to Westlake Village this Friday to take on the Lions, who, before their close 20-14 loss to Gardena Serra last week, were ranked 24th in the Southland by the Los Angeles Times.

Angelus League play begins on September 30 with a road battle against St. Paul. There is no doubt that the Chaminade contest and the upcoming battle against Oaks Christian will have served as great preparation for the five-game league itinerary.

There have been a number of Cub players who have demonstrated the will to fight. Senior inside linebacker ZACH BOWLES, a team captain, is a true mauler who harkens back to Loyola’s great traditional warrior ethos. He sets the standard.

Junior JAKE ARELLANO led the team in tackles going into last Friday’s contest. Athletic junior defensive lineman ISAIAH SANDERS has a non-stop motor, and his battery mate, senior KEENAN TARBET, wreaks havoc as well.

Sophomore inside linebacker HENRY CASANI, is making his presence felt in the middle, as are senior inside linebackers NICK MORRIS and JARED ERBY.  Senior corner JORDAN HEWITT is a consistent cover man in the secondary. JACK REED is emerging as a tough stopper on the defensive line.

Sophomore outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR is also a playmaker with a bright future.

Senior quarterback XAVIER RICE has been hampered by an inexperienced receiving corps, but one top receiver should be returning from injury soon. Rice will prove his considerable talent in the coming weeks.

Senior right tackle and team captain JACK SUSNJAR (6-6, 323) will continue to encourage his linemates, talented junior guards CHAMP WESTBROOKS and RYAN TURK; senior left tackle JACK PARIS and senior center MATT POHL to play to their high end potential. Senior tackle LEIGHTON LINE will be eligible soon after moving from Texas this summer.

There are many other Loyola players who have shown the will to win. Senior multipurpose athlete CLAY WINNEK has shined carrying the ball. Sophomore DESI VALDES, senior JON BAUTISTA and junior running back JUSTIN SMITH have also run the ball hard.

Junior DBs CHAZ AUSTIN and ELIJAH BRADLEY come to play. It is tough to keep freshman corner JORDAN LOCKHART off the field. He caused the strip fumble which set up the Cubs’ first half TD last week. Junior kicker/punter MARK HYAN has been excellent on special teams.

Do not be surprised if the Cubs turn the season around. It is fair to predict they will be in the thick of the race for the Angelus League crown.

A LOOK AT OAKS CHRISTIAN
Head Coach Charles Collins has a talented group that is belied by the Lions’ 2-2 record. Oaks Christian has played one of the toughest non-league schedules in the Southern Section.

The Lions dropped their opener, 24-17, to an outstanding Chaminade squad; defeated a solid Sierra Canyon team, 38-21; downed Regis Jesuit, the number five-ranked team in Colorado, 34-28; and lost a close one to powerful Gardena Serra, 20-14. Suffice to say, Oaks Christian is battle tested.

Two junior quarterbacks have looked good for the Lions. Nate Bennett (6-2, 170) has completed an impressive 74% of his passes with a 13.6 yard per completion average, while Devin Tate (6-3,180) averages 14.3 yards per toss at a 57% completion clip.

Senior running back Johnny Thompson (5-10, 190) is fast and powerful. He has averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored five TDs against stellar opponents. Freshman phenom Deshonne Redeaux (6-0, 181) is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He averages 6.8 yards per carry.

Junior wide receivers Justice Williams (17.9 yards per reception) and Chase Farrell (12.7 yards per catch) are talented chain movers.

A big, strong offensive line led by Luke Baklenko (6-6, 300) makes the Lions’ balanced offense go.

A solid defensive unit is led by sophomore linebacker Christian Knoos (6-0, 205, 29 tackles, 19 solos), senior outside linebacker Matt Erhart (22 tackles), and senior strong safety Isaiah Green (6-1, 180 ( 17 tackles, 1 interception).

Kicker Aidan Flintoft is one of the best kickers in the nation. He is a real weapon.

OUTLOOK
Oaks possesses a lot of weapons, and has competed impressively against four excellent opponents.

For Loyola to pull off a major upset, it’s offense will need to make a quantum leap, and the Cub defense will have to limit big plays by the prolific Lions’ offense. Loyola will probably have to win the turnover battle decisively to have a shot.

One thing is certain, the contest will prepare the Cubs well for their Angelus League battles.

Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. on Friday at Oaks Christian.

THE SERIES
This is Loyola and Oaks Christian’s first ever meeting on the gridiron.

KEEPING TABS ON CUB GRADS
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19 kicked four field goals (of 38, 49, 28 and 24 yards), including the game winner as time expired, for UCLA in its 32-31 victory over South Alabama on Saturday. No wonder his Bruin teammates call him “Money Nick”.

Former Cub All-American corner DAVID LONG, JR. ‘16 started at corner for the Rams in their win over Atlanta on Sunday, and former Loyola All-Serra League lineman COLEMAN SHELTON ‘13 started at center for Los Angeles.

Cub 2015 MVP MYLES BRYANT ‘16 started at corner for New England in the Patriots’ win over Pittsburgh Sunday.

There’s a reason Loyola is known as DB High. Since 2000 four former Cub secondary players have started in the NFL (2000 CIF Southern Section Division I Player-of-the-Year MATT WARE (Philadelphia and Arizona), All-CIF corner CHRIS CONTE ‘07 (Chicago and Tampa Bay), BRYANT and LONG).