October 21, 2023

Cub Football - Loyola on the rise - Cubs face final league challenge Friday - A look at playoff possibilities

THE CUBS ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS THEY PREPARE FOR CATHEDRAL IN FINAL ANGELUS LEAGUE CONTEST
Loyola had its most impressive outing of the 2023 season last Friday in its 36-7 romp over Paraclete. Arguably, more important than the win was the manner in which it was achieved.

The Cubs played well in all three phases of the game and showed that they are a much better version of themselves than they were in the non-league portion of their schedule in which they compiled a 1-4 record.

If Loyola can prevail Friday night on the road against a dangerous Cathedral squad, a victory would enhance growing momentum, secure no worse than a second place finish in the Angelus League, and guarantee a berth in the CIF Southern Section playoffs which get underway on November 3.

The most notable aspect of the Cubs' upward trend is the confidence with which they are competing. That confidence is manifesting itself in the speed with which Loyola is playing on both sides of the ball.

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES 
The worst case scenario with-heaven forbid-a loss to end conference competition would be a possible two or three-way tie for second place in the Angelus League.

A two way tie for second would mean a guaranteed CIF Southern Section playoff berth for the Cubs. A loss, coupled with a St. Paul upset of league-leader St. Francis (7-1, 4-0), could relegate Loyola to a fourth place league finish, after coin tosses. With a potential losing record and fourth place finish, the Cubs would not necessarily be assured of an at-large playoff invitation.

It may be a stretch to say Loyola's conference finale is a must-win match up, but suffice to say that a win will keep the Big Blue on course in its rapid ascension.

Beginning in 2019 the CIF Southern Section adopted a new playoff format based upon the concept of competitive equity. Instead of a league's playoff division being established before the season, the competitive equity system places individual playoff-eligible teams in a division based on their CalPreps' computer rankings following the last game of the regular season.

The top three teams in the six-school Angelus League are guaranteed playoff invitations; however, each of the three can be assigned to a different division based on the final CalPreps' rankings. 

If the Cubs prevail on Friday, they could end up in either Division 3 or 4. Loyola is currently ranked 44th in the Southern Section by CalPreps. Assuming that the current team rankings remain the same after Friday's battle, the playoff division to which the Cubs will be assigned will be determined by how many teams are placed in Division 1. The number of Division 1 teams is expected to be anywhere from eight to twelve.

If there are eight Division I playoff teams and Loyola's ranking stays the same, it would be the fourth-seeded squad in Division 4; if there are ten schools in D-1, the Cubs would be the second seed in Division 4; and if D-1 has 12 teams, Loyola would be the 16th seed in Division 3.

Obviously, the projections are pure conjecture at this point. But the speculation is intriguing nonetheless. On the morning of October 28th, the announcement of playoff teams, and the divisions to which they are assigned, will be made by the CIF Southern Section.

One thing is certain, the Cubs do not want to rely on the hope of being selected as an-large team. With a win Friday, Loyola is a lock for the playoffs. The magnitude of Friday's game cannot be overstated.

EXTRA POINTS
Some notable numbers:

196 - The Cubs' ground game has averaged 196 yards per game in their last five outings. That is a big reason for their recent surge. In its first four games Loyola averaged only 71 yards rushing per outing.

1,092 - Total yards gained by sophomore running back SEAN MORRIS (907 rushing, 185 receiving) through nine games. MORRIS is the Angelus League's rushing leader, and is clearly on course for a lot more if the Cubs participate in the CIF playoffs.

959 - Combined receiving yards gained by senior receiver and team captain KHALIL CUEVA (499) and junior receiver DUKE GIARRAPUTO (460) through last Friday's game against Paraclete.

82 - The number of team-leading tackles made by tough junior inside linebacker HENRY CASANI, who is having a monster campaign.

24 - The number of team-leading pass hurries made by senior edge IKE SANDERS.

35 - The average points scored by Loyola in its last three conference games.

2 - Two brothers, senior right tackle RYAN TURK (6-4, 285) and sophomore right guard NATE TURK (6-3, 265), are believed to be the first brother duo to play side by side on the offensive line in Cub Football annals. RYAN, a team captain, will play his collegiate football at Dartmouth. He played multiple snaps on the defensive line in an impressive double duty role in Loyola's 36-7 victory over Paraclete last Friday. The Turk brothers have been key members of an offensive line that has improved markedly over the course of the season, and is peaking at just the right time.

A LOOK AT CATHEDRAL
Cathedral interim head coach Vince Johnson guided the Phantoms to an important 28-21 win over favored St. Paul last Friday, which kept Cathedral in the hunt for a possible tie for second place in the Angelus League. 

The Phantoms are 4-5 overall and 2-2 in the Angelus League. They handed one of the City Section's best teams, Garfield, it's only loss, 43-40; were beaten by a very solid L.B. Millikan team, 48-34, in a shootout; were trounced by highly ranked Gardena Serra, 47-14; were taken down by Chaminade, 31-14; put the hurt on Alemany, 54-28; lost to Paraclete, 21-7; routed Crespi, 56-0; were outscored by St. Francis, 41-25; and got the better of St. Paul, 28-21.

Disaster struck the Phantoms' program in September when the CIF Southern Section ruled the school would be ineligible to compete in the 2023 playoffs because of violations involving transfers. So Friday's game will be Cathedral's last of the season, and there is no question it will treat the game as a championship bout.

The Phantoms' high octane offense (30.5 points per game) is driven by talented freshman quarterback JADEN JEFFERSON (5-9, 165). The precocious ninth grade dual threat signal caller is an accurate passer and blazing fast runner.

Ramahj Jones (6-2, 215) is a powerful running back. Fast, athletic junior receivers, Michael Ashford (5-9, 135) and Antonio Walton (5-10, 165), lead a productive group of pass catchers.

Cathedral's offensive line is big and strong.

The Phantoms' defense gives up points (30.7 per game) but plays a physical brand of ball. Senior linebacker Tye Smith (6-1, 227) and junior linebacker Atticus Park (6-0, 225) bring the wood. Other defensive stalwarts include junior corner Sean Brooks (6-1, 187), junior safety Kasahn Johnson (5-11, 165), freshman safety Kayden Brooks (6-0, 170) and senior edge Sean Grier (6-2, 180).

GAME OUTLOOK
Cathedral is fast and physical and more than capable of turning a Halloween trick on the Cubs. By way of comparative scores against five common opponents Loyola won by more against Chaminade (+10), Paraclete (+43), St. Francis (+12) and St. Paul (+7). Cathedral beat Crespi 56-0, while the Cubs beat the Celts 45-28.

Loyola will have a good chance to secure a victory if it plays error free. The Cubs must be balanced on offense and corral the electric Jefferson on defense. Special teams could end up playing a role in the outcome.

THE SERIES
Cathedral was founded in 1925 by Archbishop John Cantwell on a Chinatown property formerly occupied, as legend has it, by a cemetery. Hence the reason for the Phantoms’ mascot, which of course is a spooky proposition on the weekend before Halloween.

Loyola, the oldest Catholic high school in Southern California (founded in 1865), and the Phantoms first met on the gridiron in 1927.

That year Charles Lindbergh made history’s first transatlantic flight in The Spirit of St. Louis, Henry Ford rolled out the Model A, work commenced on the Mt. Rushmore national monument and the the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) was formed. The Great Mississippi Flood displaced 700,000 in 1927. A long time ago in the country's history.

The Loyola-Cathedral series, which began nearly a century ago, is both schools’ longest tenured rivalry. Cub head coach LARRY DEVLIN saw his Loyola squad beat the Phantoms 19-0 in the squads’ inaugural contest. Loyola finished the 1927 campaign 6-0-1.

For many years the schools were members of the venerable Catholic League. After parting ways following the 1970 season, the schools were reunited in the Angelus League in 2020. The Cubs have dominated the series with a win-loss record of 32-15-1 (68%).

One of the best Loyola victories in the 94-year series came in a 2017 non-league game played at Southwest College. Cathedral’s sophomore quarterback was Bryce Young (the former Alabama Heisman Trophy winning signal caller) and current Carolina Panthers starting QB.

The Cub staff devised a brilliant defensive game plan that led to a stunning 17-7 Loyola victory. The Phantoms finished the 2017 season with a 10-2 overall record and won the Angelus League championship. The seven points scored was the lowest output of Cathedral’s season. Young transferred to Mater Dei the following year.

Last fall Loyola lost to the Phantoms 21-3. Cathedral finished 10-3 and advanced to the CIF Division 4 semifinals. The Cubs beat the Phantoms in 2021, 34-6.

FRIDAY PRE-GAME INFORMATION
Loyola parents, alumni and supporters will be meeting at 4:30 p.m. Friday in a private room at El Paseo Inn located at 11 East Olvera Street (a waking street), Los Angeles, CA 90012 before the Cathedral game on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

The venerable El Paseo Inn is a Los Angeles historical landmark, and is owned and operated by a Loyola High family.

Close parking is available at Lot 2 located at the corner of N. Spring Street and Cesar E Chavez Avenue. There are other less expensive lots in the area, though. The restaurant is located one mile (walking distance) from Cathedral High School.

LOYOLA ALUMNI DINNER
Former Loyola high school All-American quarterback BRENDAN McCRACKEN '84, who continued his football career at UCLA, and All-Del Rey League linebacker CHRIS RISING '87, who was a starting linebacker at Duke University following his graduation from The High, are two of the three Cub alumni, along with J. Howard Johnson '54, who are being bestowed with the Cahalan Award at Loyola's annual Alumni Dinner on November 4.

The deadline to register is October 27. Be sure to register now and spread the word. The Loyola website has registration information. Search for Alumni Dinner.

2023 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/ RESULTS 
August 25             @ Damien (L 35-14)
September 1        Culver City (W 24-6)
September 8         Leuzinger (L 35-14)
September 15      @ Chaminade (L 42-35)
September 22      Oaks Christian (L 31-14)
September 29      @ St. Francis* (L 26-21)
October 6              St. Paul* (W 25-11)
October 13           @ Crespi* (W 45-28)
October 20           Paraclete* (W 36-7)
October 29           @ Cathedral* 
(* denotes Angelus League game)

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Thirty-four Loyola grads are competing on college football teams this fall at schools from Storrs, Connecticut to Los Angeles; Northfield, Minnesota to New York City; Fort Worth, Texas to Princeton, New Jersey; Grinnel, Iowa to Berkeley; South Bend, Indiana to Starkville, Mississippi; and Austin, Texas to Chicago.

Here is the current list of Cubs on college football rosters (in alphabetical order):
NICK ANDERSON ‘20, OL (Denison)
SINJUN ASTANI ‘17, DL (USC)
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB (Tulane)
JP BAUTISTA (Pasadena College)
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K (Mississippi State)
GEORGE CARATAN '18 , P (Connecticut)
JAC CASASANTE ‘18, LS (USC)
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL (Bowdoin)
ALEX JOHNSON '18, DB (UCLA)
JEFFREY JOHNSON '21, TE (Cal)
JACOBY KELLY ‘22, WR (Cerritos College)
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, DL (Grinnel)
LEIGHTON LINE '23, DL (Cal Lutheran)
CARTER LINK ‘20, LB (SMU)
SHAWN LIN ‘22, DL (Columbia)
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB (Angelo State)
JUSTIN MURRAY '22, LB (Santa Monica College)
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20 DB (Carleton)
TAHJ OWENS ‘22, DB (Princeton)
JACK PARIS '23, OL (MIT)
RYAN QUINTANAR ‘20, LB (TCU)
XAVIER RICE '23, QB (Duquesne)
DAKOTA SMITH '18, LB (Minnesota State)
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB (Columbia)
ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB (Connecticut)
HENRY STICKLER '21, WR (SMU)
JACK SUSNJAR '23, OL (USC)
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB (Texas)
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB (UCLA)
ALEX WHITMAN '22, WR (Notre Dame)
WILKE WILES '23, WR (University of Chicago) 
HOLMES WORMALD '23, TE (Merchant Marine Academy)
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB ( USC)
SAM YOON ‘22, OL ( UCLA)