Cub Football - Loyola loses to Notre Dame, 35-10, at Knights' sold out Homecoming
LOYOLA BLASTED BY NOTRE DAME IN MISSION LEAGUE OPENER
The news went out early Friday that Notre Dame’s homecoming game against Loyola was sold out, and, for the Knights, the contest lived up to the fevered anticipation of the Sherman Oaks team’s rabid supporters, as Notre Dame romped over the Cubs, 35-10, in each team’s first Mission League fray of the season.
Before the opening kickoff, the festive atmosphere demonstrated in palpable fashion that the Knights’ football program really matters to the school’s administration, students and graduates, as fancy tents packed with visiting alumni were set up behind the south end zone and Notre Dame’s home stands were overflowing as the band rocked, the cheerleaders danced and the student section roared.
Suffice to say, the Knights’ grid prowess was enough to concern Loyola, but the over the top enthusiasm that permeated the environment only added to the challenge the Cubs were facing against the Los Angeles Times’ number 25th ranked squad.
Loyola won the coin toss, deferred and recovered its onside kick to open the contest, but the successful gambit failed to deflate the hungry home team. Senior All-CIF kicker JACOB KREINBRING executed a superb punt after the Cubs were only able to muster one first down on their first offensive possession. The ball was downed on Notre Dame’s three yard line.
Aided by blind-side block and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties called against Loyola, the Knights drove 97 yards in just six plays, scoring on a five yard run by their talented senior transfer quarterback who had a 44-yard pass completion to highlight the drive. The TD was scored at the 5:06 mark of the first quarter, and the rout was on.
Notre Dame took advantage of a Cub interception, and then drove just 26 yards in four plays, scoring on another QB keeper from four yards out, to increase the home team’s lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter.
After Loyola turned the ball over on downs, the Knights covered 57 yards in just four plays, scoring on a 23-yard pass with 5:06 left in the second quarter to up their advantage to 21-0.
On their ensuing possession, disaster struck for the Cubs as they coughed the ball up on a fumble which was recovered on the Loyola 38 yard line. Seven plays later Notre Dame hit pay dirt again on one-yard QB run to give the Knights a commanding 28-0 lead heading into halftime.
Loyola could only muster 114 offensive yards in the first two quarters and fell prey to three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble).
An absolutely dazzling halftime fireworks show seemed to rub salt into the Cubs’ wounds, but lo and behold it energized them. Loyola received the second half kickoff, and proceeded to drive 80 yards in eight plays, scoring on an 18-yard pass from junior signal caller GAVIN GRABE, who took over play-calling duties in the second quarter, to senior wide receiver EVAN SANTOS. KREINBRING’s PAT kick allowed the Cubs to cut the deficit to 21 points. GRABE had big completions of 15 yards to sophomore receiver BRANDON ALEXANDER and 20 yards to junior running back KANE CASANI on the touchdown march.
Cub sophomore corner MALIQUE POLLARD made a beautiful interception in the Loyola end zone to thwart another Notre Dame scoring threat. Thereafter, Loyola drove 54 yards, highlighted by an electric 36-yard pass completion from GRABE to fleet footed EVAN SANTOS, before KREINBRING converted on a 38-yard field goal with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter to make the score 28-10 in favor of the Knights.
With 9:27 left in the fourth quarter Notre Dame capped a two-play, 58-yard drive with a long distance, 44-yard aerial to give the Knights a 35-10 lead.
Following the Cubs’ field goal, their final three drives gained a total only 31 yards which ended in a punt and two turnovers on downs.
Loyola (3-3) would have needed to play a perfect game to pull off an upset. It didn’t, and Notre Dame’s 6-4 quarterback was the key difference maker in the Knights’ (4-2) 35-10 victory. The Cubs gained 266 yards of total offense to Notre Dame’s 345 yards.
HOW LOYOLA’S FUTURE MISSION LEAGUE OPPONENTS FARED (IN ORDER, ALL CAPS) ON FRIDAY
Sierra Canyon (6-0) 30, SERRA (3-3) 0
The Cavaliers could not generate much offense against a team that may have the best defensive platoon in the state.
Chaminade (3-3) 35, BISHOP AMAT (3-3) 0
No one saw this outcome coming. The Lancers, who appeared to be improving on offense, were pummeled on the road.
CHAMINADE (3-3), Bishop Amat (3-3) 0
The Eagles have taken flight as evidenced by their rout of a good Bishop Amat team. The battles for the second and third place spots-and guaranteed playoff berths-in the Mission League will be intense.
SIERRA CANYON (6-0) 30, Serra (3-3) 0
A classless display of sportsmanship (Google it) by the Trailblazers in a dominant home defensive performance against Serra marred their sixth victory of the season. Indeed a poor reflection on leadership. Nonetheless, Sierra Canyon is a heavy favorite to run away with the Mission League title.
LOYOLA TO PLAY AT SoFi STADIUM AGAINST SERRA ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9th, AT 5:00 P.M.
Loyola will play its Mission League game against Gardena Serra at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the home of the Rams and Chargers, on Thursday, October 9 at 5:00 p.m.
The Loyola website (loyolahs.edu) (athletics link) has the link for ticket purchase availability.
CUB FOOTBALL ALUMNI NEWS
Former Loyola QB JERRY NEUHEISEL ‘11, who had been serving as UCLA’s tight ends coach, was just promoted to serve as the Bruins’ Offensive Coordinator . . . Former All-Mission League safety DESI VALDES ‘25 was chosen as the State Player of the Week by the California Community College Football Coaches Association for week five. VALDES, who is a starting DB and kick returner for Pasadena City College, returned a kickoff for a TD, had a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown, forced a fumble, had seven tackles and broke up three passes in the Lancers’ 45-24 victory over Bakersfield City College on September 27 . . . Loyola 2024 All-CIF linebacker SCTT TAYLOR ‘25, who is a freshman linebacker at UCLA, was the the subject of very positive story this week in the Orange County Register.
CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Below is the list of Loyola graduates on college football teams in 2025 according to published collegiate rosters:
JAKE ARELLANO '24, DB, Bentley University
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University
BROCK BOJORQUEZ ‘25, DB, Johns Hopkins
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin
KHALIL CUEVA ‘24, WR, University of San Diego
JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal
LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego
CONNOR KLEIN ‘25, LB, Cornell
SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia
LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran
JOSHUA LONG ‘21, TE, Eastern Michigan
TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton
JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC
XAVIER RICE ‘23, QB, Duquesne
ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia
ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB, Idaho
HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU
JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas
SCOTT TAYLOR '25, LB, UCLA
RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth
DESI VALDES ‘25, DB, Pasadena City College
CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State
ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska
SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA
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 (W 9-3)
10-3 @ Notre Dame* (L 35-10)
10-9 @Serra* at SoFi Stadium
10-17 Bishop Amat*
10-24 @ Chaminade*
10-31 Sierra Canyon*
*Denotes Mission League game