September 12, 2022

Cub Football - Loyola has tough games ahead but has shown progress - Chaminade preview

LOYOLA SHOWS IMPROVEMENT AS SEVEN GAMES REMAIN
The Cubs (1-2) have shown improvement in each of their last two non-league contests, the most recent being a one-point, 15-14, loss to Pasadena last Friday. There is plenty of room for continued improvement as seven contests remain on the regular season slate.

Senior athlete CLAY WINNEK was named the Max Preps Player of the Game for Loyola for his efforts running the ball last Friday. He scored the Cubs’ first touchdown on a determined, nine-yard tackle-breaking run which was aided by a push into the end zone by senior tight end HOLMES WORMALD.

WINNEK also had a big 34-yard sprint to his credit in averaging 10.6 yards per carry. WINNEK shaved his head before the season as a tribute to the former nearly fifty-year tradition of the entire squad getting short crew cuts during fall camp. His battle worthy decorum brings back fond memories to those who appreciated the hallowed hair cut tradition.

The son of JOHN WINNEK ‘87, one of the toughest players ever to wear Cub Blue, WINNEK embodies the ethos of the days when his father played for Loyola. Expect him to get offensive touches with greater frequency. He is the type of player who makes good things happen whenever and wherever he is on the field.

Senior DB KYLE SOMERVILLE played wide receiver for the first time against Pasadena and added athleticism and receptions to a receiving corps that needed some help. It will be interesting to see if there will be more cross over in the wide receivers room going forward.

Junior defensive lineman ISAIAH SANDERS and senior linebacker ZACH BOWLES continue to play fast and hard.

The entire squad is playing with energy and incremental improvement. While the next two games present big challenges, the heavyweight battles will serve the Big Blue well-win or lose-in preparing the Cubs for the five-game Angelus League schedule which certainly does not appear as daunting as it stacked up at the beginning of the season. Crespi is 0-4, Paraclete is 0-3, St. Francis is 1-3, St. Paul is 2-2 and Cathedral, the most improved team in the league, is 3-1. 

A LOOK AT CHAMINADE
There is no question that Chaminade is by far the best team Loyola will play during the course of the regular season. The Eagles will swoop into Smith Field this Friday for a 7:00 p.m. contest against the prohibitive underdog Cubs, fresh off a 59-7 annihilation of Crespi Carmelite.

First year Head Coach David Machuca’s squad is ranked 12th in the state by CalHi Sports-and for good reason. The Eagles have recorded four consecutive impressive victories: 24-17 over Oaks Christian; 24-21 against JSerra of the Trinity League; 35-0 versus Birmingham, the defending champion of the L.A. City Section; and 59-7 against Crespi Carmelite.

Chaminade has no apparent weaknesses, which coupled with one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the Southern Section, poses considerable challenges in all phases of the game for any team it plays. At this point, the Eagles are regarded as one of the top title contenders in the rugged Mission League.

An injury to their transfer senior quarterback, 6’ 4” Javance Tupouata-Johnson, thrust sophomore sensation Seth Shigg (5-9, 170) into the starting role behind center. Shigg started for the varsity at Lawndale as a freshman last season, and the precocious 10th grader has not skipped a beat. Going into last Friday’s contest against Crespi the dual threat QB  had completed 61% of his passes (13.5 yds. per completion). Shigg is also a dangerous runner who is averaging 9.3 yards per carry. He was the 16th fastest freshman in the nation in the 400m this spring. The Chaminade offense averages 400 yards per game.

Senior running back Noah Elliott (5-10, 170) averages 5.4 yards per carry behind a massive, powerfully strong offensive line with players as big as 6-5, 315 and 6-3, 315.

The Eagles’ top two receivers are junior Kwazi Gilmer (22.8 yds. per catch) and freshman star Devin Olmande (20.8 yds. per reception).

Chaminade’s defense is as talented as it’s offense. Junior safety Marquis Gallegos (6-1, 180, 25 tackles through three games, 18 solo) is a national recruit. Senior outside linebacker Isaiah Chisom (6-2, 215) is a force as is inside linebacker Jackson Forte (6-2, 225). Junior defensive lineman T. J. Ford (6-2, 300) has been immovable. 

GAME OUTLOOK
The Eagles have a decisive strength advantage over Loyola, and Shigg’s electric ability will make an upset difficult to achieve for the Cubs.

If Chaminade’s big, strong line units control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball as they have thus far, it will take some good fortune for Loyola to keep pace with one of the best teams in the Golden State. To have a chance at an upset bid, the Cub passing game will probably need to take flight, and both the offensive and defensive lines must have their best outings of the campaign thus far.

THE SERIES
Chaminade leads the series 5-3. The rivalry began in 2007 with a 17-7 Loyola victory, followed by a 42-3 rout by the Cubs in 2009. Loyola’s last win over the Eagles came in 2015 by a score of 31-13. The teams  played most recently in 2019 with Chaminade prevailing, 21-10.  

LOYOLA LOWER LEVEL UPDATES
CUB SOPHS NOTCH FIRST WIN
Loyola’s sophomore team (1-2) won its first game, 21-0, last Thursday over Pasadena’s JV squad on the road. The victory was gratifying, as a large number of Cub players were sidelined with a variety of injuries, and a large number of back-up squad members stepped up. Only sophomore players compete for the Cubs, whereas many of their opponents field JV squads, which include varsity players.
 
Among the competitors who performed well against the Bulldogs were QB NATHAN GUERRERO in his first start; tight end GUS SINGH; slot receiver ETHAN GALLARDO; running back CAEDEN HOLCOMB; center MARIO VEGA; right guard NATHAN CHAO; right tackle DECLAN O’LIONAIN; left guard SAMI PARK; left tackle/DL RONAN O’ROURKE; nose guard JUSTIN KONG; defensive lineman COLE DENNIS; linebacker JAMES WIDHELM; and safeties DAVIS BENDER and CLAYTON SMITH.

The sophs play at Chaminade on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.

LOYOLA FROSH GEAR UP FOR CHAMINADE
The Cub freshman (2-0) team had a bye last week, and Saturday’s scheduled road reserve game was canceled by Vista of the CIF San Diego Section.

On Thursday the freshmen will play Chaminade, their best opponent thus far, at Smith Field at 4:00 p.m. Loyola dominated their first two opponents by a combined score of 78-14. The Eagles are expected to put up a good fight.

There is a lot of buzz being generated by the talented Cub frosh squad. Thursday’s tilt is worth watching.

UPDATED CUB ALUMNI IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIST
Here is the current list of Cubs participating in college football (in alphabetical order):
NICK ANDERSON ‘20, OL (Denison)
SINJUN ASTANI ‘17, DL (USC)
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB (Tulane)
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K (UCLA)
GEORGE CARATAN ‘17, K/P (Connecticut)
JAC CASASANTE ‘18, LS (USC)
COLIN CRUCE ‘22 (Bowdoin)
RAMAN ENIGBOKAN ‘22 (Morehouse)
MIKE GRAVES ‘19, DB (Notre Dame)
JACOBY KELLY ‘22, WR (San Diego State)
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, OL (Grinnel)
ALEX JOHNSON, ‘18, DB (UCLA)
JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE (Cal)
CARTER LINK ‘20, LB (SMU)
SHAWN LINN ‘22, DL (Columbia)
TY MAHER ‘18, OL (Colby)
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB (Angelo State)
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20 DB (Carleton)
TAHJ OWENS ‘22, RB/DB (Princeton)
NATHAN PRIESTLEY ‘19, QB (Georgia)
RYAN QUINTANAR ‘20, LB (TCU)
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB (Columbia)
ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB (Washington)
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB (Texas)
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB ( UCLA)
BRAYDEN UTLEY ‘18, DL (Baylor)
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB ( USC)
SAM YOON ‘22, OL (UCLA)