Cub Football - Loyola handles Hamilton, takes down Yankees, 42-21
LOYOLA TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS AGAINST HAMILTON TO EVEN RECORD AT 2-2
Loyola traveled to to the Westside neighborhood of Castle Heights on Friday night for a non-league matchup with the Los Angeles City Section’s Hamilton Yankees, a young team led by a touted 6-4, 215 pound big-armed freshman signal caller.
The Big Blue defeated the home squad with ease, 42-21, to even their record at 2-2.
Despite the humorous exhortations by the baritone public address announcer all night long, Hamilton, ranked 681st in the state by MaxPreps, simply could not match up with the Cubs. Loyola out gained the Yankees 234 yards to 58 in the first half, and that pretty much summed up the one-sided contest.
The Cubs recovered an onside kick to open the game and promptly drove 37 yards on six plays, scoring on junior running back XAVIER WIMBLEY’s 2-yard run less than three minutes into the crosstown battle. Senior kicker JACOB KREINBRING’s PAT kick gave Loyola a 7-0 lead it would not relinquish.
On the Cubs’ third possession, they drove 55 yards on five plays, scoring on a 40-yard pass from sophomore QB JOHN-CARL RISING to junior receiver TOBY THUSS at the 9:57 mark of the second quarter. KREINBRING’s PAT kick upped Loyola’s lead to 14-0.
With a minute and a half left before halftime the Cubs marched 38 yards on seven plays, with sophomore running back JAYDEN ROGERS taking the ball into the end zone from the one yard line. Rogers popped one for 18 yards to highlight the drive.
Loyola’s ‘Wolfpack’ defense forced a punt on Hamilton’s ensuing possession, but the Cubs threw a pick on the next play with 37 seconds remaining before halftime. The Yankees took advantage, as their vaunted QB Thaddeus Breaux completed a 41-yard pass for a TD with just 16 seconds remaining in the second quarter, to make the score 21-7 at intermission.
Loyola was intercepted on the second play of the third quarter, and the pick was returned to the Cubs’ nine yard line. Hamilton scored on a one-yard pass on fourth down to draw within seven points, 21-14, at the 6:26 mark of the second quarter.
Loyola answered with a five-play, 58-yard drive, capped by a five-yard WIMBLEY jaunt, He had back-to-back 20 and 21-yard runs on the series. The score gave the Cubs a 28-14 lead.
On the Yankees’ following possession, they went 78 yards on seven plays, scoring on a two-yard pass with 10:51 remaining in the game, to make the score 28-21. Forty and 25-yard pass completions highlighted the TD drive.
Loyola came right back on a four-play, 58-yard drive, capped by a powerful 16-yard run by junior KANE CASANI to give the Cubs a 35-21 advantage.
WIMBLEY scored on a beautiful 37-yard run with 4:18 left in the contest to increase Loyola’s lead to 42-21.
Cub senior linebacker HOLDEN SMYSER picked off a Hamilton pass and returned it the Yankees’ three yard line in the waning moments of the final quarter. The referees decided to call it a game at that point, and Loyola got on its buses home with a 42-21 victory.
WIMBLEY finished the contest with 169 yards on 17 carries and three TDs behind a dominating performance by the Cubs’ offensive line. The Big Blue out gained Hamilton for the game 405 to 178 yards.
Loyola senior Edge MAX MEIER had another standout performance with 6.5 tackles, three sacks, 10 hurries and two tackles for loss. Junior linebacker KANE CASANI, as usual, was a force on defense.
The Cubs host long time arch rival St. Francis at Smith Field next Friday in their final non-league battle of the season.
HOW LOYOLA’S FUTURE OPPONENTS (IN ALL CAPS) FARED
Muir 22, ST FRANCIS 21
Golden Knights lose a heartbreaker to rival Pasadena Muir.
Servite 29, NOTRE DAME 23
Knights show their mettle once again against another formidable foe.
Orange Lutheran 35, SERRA 14
Cavaliers fall short in yet another game against a top tier opponent.
Vista Murrieta 29, BISHOP AMAT 10
Lancers lose to a tough team on the road.
Beaumont 27, CHAMINADE 14
Eagles fall to highly regarded, undefeated Cougars.
SIERRA CANYON 49, Downey 7
Downey, a very good team, is trounced by Sierra Canyon, but is the first team to get on the scoreboard against the Trailblazers this season.
CUB FOOTBALL ALUMNI NEWS
Former Loyola All-League defensive end JEFFERY JOHNSON ‘21, now a tight end at Cal, was named a team captain for the Bears’ first game.
2025 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 8-22 Cathedral (L 36-14) 8-29 @ Millikan (Long Beach) (W 35-25) 9-5 Mount Miguel (L 21-0) 9-12 @ Hamilton (Los Angeles) (W 42-21) 9-19 St. Francis 10-3 @ Notre Dame* 10-10 @ Serra* 10-17 Bishop Amat* 10-24 @ Chaminade* 10-31 Sierra Canyon*
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