Cub Football - Loyola defeats number three seed Palos Verdes in defensive masterpiece
LOYOLA STOPS PALOS VERDES COLD IN FIRST ROUND OF CIF DIVISION 4 PLAYOFFS
The intensity exhibited by Loyola for a full 48 minutes at South Torrance High School on Friday night in a first round CIF Southern Section Division 4 contest against the number three seed Bay League champion Palos Verdes Sea Kings was virtually palpable to the large crowd on hand. In a hard hitting slugfest, Loyola turned in a masterful defensive performance-its best of the season-to defeat the Los Angeles Times’ number 25-ranked team, 7-0.
In their first CIF playoff game since 2015, the Cubs won the wars in the trenches on both sides of the ball which is the primary reason they are moving on to the quarterfinals this Friday. Palos Verdes started the first drive of the game at its 20 yard line and methodically moved down the field, mixing both the pass and run effectively. On fourth and goal at the Loyola two yard line, the Sea Kings eschewed a field goal try and went for the touchdown on a pass over the middle. The Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense came up with a huge stop at the half-yard line, and for all intents and purposes that proved the defining moment of the ball game. The momentum garnered on that play carried Loyola for the rest of the contest.
The Cubs embarked on a 99 and-a-half yard, 20-play drive that took 10 minutes and 56 seconds off the clock. Sophomore running back HARRISON ALLEN took the ball into the end zone from two yards out with 4:41 left before halftime to put the Big Blue up, 7-0. Loyola was flagged an inordinate number of times throughout the game, and three critical penalties late in the first half following a Sea Kings punt stalled a promising drive.
The second half was all about the Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense stifling the potent PV offense and yellow flags putting Loyola’s offense in tough situations, notwithstanding a brilliant rushing performance by sophomore running back TAHJ OWENS.
On the Sea Kings’ first possession of the second half, a ferocious hit by the Cubs forced a fumble which Loyola recovered at the PV 37 yard line. Unfortunately, Loyola gave the ball back a few plays later on a fumble at the Sea Kings’ 13 yard line. The home team could muster no offense against the swarming Cub defense for the remainder of the battle, which allowed Loyola to get on the buses with a hard earned first round triumph.
The starting defensive unit for the Cubs was manned by defensive ends CARTER LINK and DOMINICK BELISLE, defensive linemen MARIANO UY, JOSHUA LONG and JEFFREY JOHNSON, linebackers STEVEN ARELLANO, NIKKO GONZALEZ and RYAN QUINTANAR, and defensive backs CEYAIR WRIGHT, ZAKHARI SPEARS, EVAN THOMAS and BLAKE NEITHART.
The most impressive aspect of the playoff victory was the unbridled intensity with which Loyola played. If the Big Blue continues to play passionate football it could be playing for several more weeks.
The Cubs (4-6) will host Villa Park (6-5) at Smith Field next Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals The Spartans, who finished second in the Crestview League, trounced Temecula Great Oak, 39-8 in their first round game.
These are exciting times for Cub Football.
The intensity exhibited by Loyola for a full 48 minutes at South Torrance High School on Friday night in a first round CIF Southern Section Division 4 contest against the number three seed Bay League champion Palos Verdes Sea Kings was virtually palpable to the large crowd on hand. In a hard hitting slugfest, Loyola turned in a masterful defensive performance-its best of the season-to defeat the Los Angeles Times’ number 25-ranked team, 7-0.
In their first CIF playoff game since 2015, the Cubs won the wars in the trenches on both sides of the ball which is the primary reason they are moving on to the quarterfinals this Friday. Palos Verdes started the first drive of the game at its 20 yard line and methodically moved down the field, mixing both the pass and run effectively. On fourth and goal at the Loyola two yard line, the Sea Kings eschewed a field goal try and went for the touchdown on a pass over the middle. The Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense came up with a huge stop at the half-yard line, and for all intents and purposes that proved the defining moment of the ball game. The momentum garnered on that play carried Loyola for the rest of the contest.
The Cubs embarked on a 99 and-a-half yard, 20-play drive that took 10 minutes and 56 seconds off the clock. Sophomore running back HARRISON ALLEN took the ball into the end zone from two yards out with 4:41 left before halftime to put the Big Blue up, 7-0. Loyola was flagged an inordinate number of times throughout the game, and three critical penalties late in the first half following a Sea Kings punt stalled a promising drive.
The second half was all about the Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense stifling the potent PV offense and yellow flags putting Loyola’s offense in tough situations, notwithstanding a brilliant rushing performance by sophomore running back TAHJ OWENS.
On the Sea Kings’ first possession of the second half, a ferocious hit by the Cubs forced a fumble which Loyola recovered at the PV 37 yard line. Unfortunately, Loyola gave the ball back a few plays later on a fumble at the Sea Kings’ 13 yard line. The home team could muster no offense against the swarming Cub defense for the remainder of the battle, which allowed Loyola to get on the buses with a hard earned first round triumph.
The starting defensive unit for the Cubs was manned by defensive ends CARTER LINK and DOMINICK BELISLE, defensive linemen MARIANO UY, JOSHUA LONG and JEFFREY JOHNSON, linebackers STEVEN ARELLANO, NIKKO GONZALEZ and RYAN QUINTANAR, and defensive backs CEYAIR WRIGHT, ZAKHARI SPEARS, EVAN THOMAS and BLAKE NEITHART.
The most impressive aspect of the playoff victory was the unbridled intensity with which Loyola played. If the Big Blue continues to play passionate football it could be playing for several more weeks.
The Cubs (4-6) will host Villa Park (6-5) at Smith Field next Friday at 7:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals The Spartans, who finished second in the Crestview League, trounced Temecula Great Oak, 39-8 in their first round game.
These are exciting times for Cub Football.
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