Cub Football - Loyola finished strong against Carson in scrimmage - Sophs dominated Colts - Blue-White Day Saturday
LOYOLA SHOWS PROMISING POTENTIAL IN SCRIMMAGE AGAINST CARSON
Loyola travelled down the 110 Freeway on Thursday to kick off the 2024 campaign in a controlled scrimmage against the Carson Colts, the 2023 CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Division runners-up and the third ranked squad in the L.A. Times’ preseason City Section rankings.
The Cubs started relatively slowly, but finished strong. The two and a half hour scrimmage concluded with a live 12-minute quarter in which Loyola showed what could end up being an explosive offense and displayed a stout defense that was already expected to be a team strength.
The most impressive player for the Cubs was junior SEAN MORRIS II (5-10, 191), a CalHi Sports All-State underclass selection and one of the top ten running backs in the Southland per the L.A. Times’ preseason positional rankings.
MORRIS, who holds multiple FBS scholarship offers, displayed a rare combination of speed and power. The weight room warrior did not get many carries on the evening, but the talented Loyola runner made the most of every one of them. His first carry of the night covered 30 yards, and his final carry was a 50-yard tackle-breaking sprint into the end zone, which unfortunately was called back.
Junior quarterback ASHTON PANNELL’s Cub debut was eye-catching as the 6-3, 190 lb. signal caller showed off a strong arm and good field vision. His most impressive throw of the contest came in the final 12-minute quarter when he threw a beautiful deep ball to 6-3 transfer junior wide receiver MARKUS KIER who caught the ball in stride for a 65-yard TD on Loyola’s first offensive play of the quarter.
Senior QB “TK” KNYAL also shined. He completed a TD toss to KIER early in the scrimmage.
The Cub offensive line showed that it may end up being strong despite the loss of three players from last season's squad who are now playing college football. The leaders of the line corps are returning starters, junior left tackle NATE TURK (6-3, 275) and junior center NELSON PYE III (5-11, 265). Left guard LANGSTON GIBSON (6-3, 315) made his Cub debut, and left guard ANDREW HILTON (6-1, 295) and left tackle SILAS NUR made their first varsity starts.
Loyola’s ‘Wolfpack’ defense shut out the Colts in the one live quarter. The front seven proved as tough as expected.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the scrimmage was the grit and toughness displayed by the Cubs, which it is hoped will set the tone before a grueling 10-game regular season schedule that gets underway in Chinatown next Friday against the long time rival Cathedral Phantoms.
CUB SOPHOMORES PUT FORTH DOMINANT PERFORMANCE AGAINST CARSON
Led by quarterback MATT SMITH (12/19, 160 yards, 6 TDs) Loyola’s soph team got the season off to a good start, outscoring Carson seven TDs to three scores in the preliminary bout to the varsity scrimmage.
Included among the other Cub standouts were wide receivers TOBY THUSS (3 TD receptions) JAYCE DAWSON and TYLER HARPER.
Running back MATHEW FINE carried the ball six times for 66 yards. XAVIER WIMBLEY also looked good running the ball.
The standouts defensively included linebackers KAIN KASANI, the son of varsity head coach and 1990 CIF Div. I Defensive Player of the Year DREW CASANI ‘91, and MERRICK DOTTS.
Defensive backs CONOR SULLIVAN, GAVIN GRABE and GAVIN MILLER also played well for head coach ANTHONY HOLLY ‘87 and his all-alumni staff.
BLUE-WHITE DAY SATURDAY
Loyola will host its annual Blue-White day and Bar-B-Q at 10:00 a.m. at Smith Field on campus on Saturday, August 17.
The Cub freshman team scrimmage will be the highlight of the day. The word is that the yearling Cubs have some impressive talent across the board.
JOIN THE LOYOLA GRIDIRON VANGUARD
Please become a member of the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard, Cub Football’s support group. The proceeds help cover many of the costs necessary to keep the program humming.
Loyola Gridiron Vanguard - Join Today!
Loyola Gridiron Vanguard is committed to continuing the tradition of Loyola High School through fraternal support of both the school and the football program. For more than a century, the football program of Loyola High School has set a standard – a standard of excellence that transcends mere athletic accomplishment, that embodies academic commitment as its cornerstone, intense loyalty as its foundation, and dedication as its lifeblood. Vanguard is committed to the mission of Jesuit education and embraces the hallowed, time honored traditions of Cub Football.
Vanguard members come together in fellowship providing time, talent and resources in support of the Loyola football program today and into the future.
All-CIF and All-League Memberships include:
(2) tickets to each Home game
Reserved parking for Home games
Reserved seating at Home games
Gridiron Vanguard Swag
An All-League Membershipincludes the same benefits as the All-CIF package, but is available to the graduating classes of 2014-2024.
*Anyone wishing to donate more than amounts seen here, please contact Mike Barnhill at 213.381.5121, x1315 or via email at mbarnhill@loyolahs.edu.
EXTRA POINTS
Former Loyola running back CLAY WINNEK ‘23 earned Scholastic All-American honors as a freshman rugby player at the University of Tennessee. CLAY is the son of JOHN WINNEK ‘87, a star player on the Cubs’ 1986 league championship team. JOHN went of to win the Bruin Award, along with his high school teammate GEORGE PATON ‘87, at UCLA. GEORGE is now the General Manager of the Denver Broncos . . . 2020 All-League Loyola DB ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, who began his football career at Washington before moving to Connecticut is serving as an assistant secondary coach for the Cubs. “Z” is a big addition to the coaching staff. . . Loyola All-American defensive back CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, who started his collegiate career as a scholarship player at USC has transferred to the University of Nebraska.