Cub Football - Loyola preparing for the CIF quarterfinals - A look at Cubs in the NFL - Other playoff news
LOYOLA MAKES 38th TRIP TO SECOND ROUND OF CIF SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS THIS FRIDAY
One of the CIF Southern Section's all-time premier prep football programs, the Loyola Cubs, will be making their 38th appearance in the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs this Friday against Yorba Linda (8-3) on the road.
If the Big Blue (6-5), the number four seed in Division 4, wins on Friday, they will advance to a third round/semifinal contest for the 22nd time in Cub Football annals.
Loyola's goal is to make it to a 14th CIF Southern Section title contest. The Cubs will need to bring their A-game on Friday to take the next step in reaching their goal.
Head coach DREW CASANI '91 knows a thing or two about Loyola's history in the CIF playoffs. As a sophomore, junior and senior from 1988-1990 he was on the field for the Cubs in ten playoff games. He was the CIF Division I Player-of-the-Year in 1990 as he helped lead Loyola to the CIF Division I championship as a middle linebacker. CASANI courageously played three quarters of the title game with a broken fibula.
As varsity head coach each of CASANI's squads, except for the one in the truncated COVID season when there were only a handful of regular season contests, have made the post season playoffs and amassed an impressive 7-3 post season record to date. The 2019 team was the CIF Southern Section Division 4 runner-up.
One of the most memorable second round/quarterfinal playoff game was the one that pitted heavy underdog Loyola against nationally-ranked Fontana in 1990 before an overflow crowd of more than 7,000 fans at Glendale's Moyse Field.
The Steelers had a college sized offensive line manned by future major college stalwarts. Late in the game with the Cubs clinging to a 10-7 lead, Loyola CIF Division I Defensive Player-of-the-Year, inside linebacker DREW CASANI '91 and All-CIF defensive end KEVIN BENDER '91, held Fontana's running back about three inches short of a first down on a fourth-and-long run play that sealed the major upset.
Two weeks later in the championship contest at Anaheim Stadium, the Cubs defeated Quartz Hill, 24-14, to secure the school's fourth of six titles in the Southern Section's highest playoff divisions. The grand tradition of Loyola's CIF playoff history continues on Friday night.
OTHER THAN LOYOLA, ANGELUS LEAGUE TEAMS DID NOT FARE WELL IN FIRST ROUND OF CIF PLAYOFFS
St. Francis, the Angelus League co-champion with Loyola, was soundly defeated by San Juan Hills, 38-17, in a CIF Division 3 first round game last Friday. The Golden Knights (8-3) ended their season on a two-game losing streak.
St. Paul was upset in Santa Fe Springs by Santa Barbara, 41-32 in double overtime, and Paraclete (7-4) fell to Corona del Mar in Newport Beach, 40-21.
Loyola's other regular season opponents who qualified for the playoffs fared as follows in the first round (in order on schedule): Damien (8-3) lost to Murrieta Valley, 43-40 in CIFDivision 2; Culver City (8-3), whom the Cubs downed 24-6, beat Chino Hills Ayala, 38-28 in Division 4; Chaminade (6-5) came from behind to notch a 39-35 victory against Inglewood in Division 3; and in Division 2, Oaks Christian (9-2) blasted Chaparral, 41-7.
IF LOYOLA WINS FRIDAY, WHAT'S NEXT?
This Friday number four seed Corona del Mar (6-5) will travel up the coast to take on Santa Barbara (9-2). If Santa Barbara upsets the Sea Kings, the Dons would travel to Smith Field to take on Loyola in the semifinals on November 17. If Corona del Mar gets a win in Santa Barbara, the Cubs will travel to Newport Beach (determined by CIF coin toss) a week from Friday.
WHAT IF THERE WERE A LOYOLA FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME?
With so many former Cub Football greats in the packed house at the annual Loyola Alumni Dinner held on campuslast Saturday, it raised the question of which standout players spanning over 100 years would make the Cub FootballHall of Fame if Loyola had one.
Certainly High School All-American quarterback BRENDAN McCRACKEN '84 (UCLA) and fellow Cahalan Award recipient, linebacker CHRIS RISING (Duke), would be in consideration as would many other attendees at the event, including ANTHONY BARR '10 (UCLA All-American, four-time All-Pro linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings), and STEVE GRADY '63, the only man to earn both State Player of the Year (1963) and State Coach of the Year (2003) honors in California history.
The list of Cub Football luminaries in attendance at Saturday's event is too long to name them all. But their support for their alma mater was in full display on Saturday. A Hall of Fame sounds like a darn good idea whose time has come.
LOYOLA CUBS WHO PLAYED/ ARE PLAYING IN THE NFL
A current player's parent asked about Loyola Cubs who played in and/or are currently playing in the National Football League.
Each of those listed below would be a candidate for Cub Football Hall of Fame consideration. Only players who were on active NFL rosters (as opposed to practice sq are included on the list below:
GEORGE KUNZ '65
Kunz was an All-CIF two-way tackle for the Cubs. His Loyola teams in his junior and senior campaigns were a combined 23-1. The 1963 squad won a second consecutive CIF AAAA championship, and finished the season as the number two-ranked prep team in the nation. The 1964 squad lost in the AAAA title contest, ending a 35-game victory streak which still stands as a CIF Large Schools record. Kunz was a multi-year starter and consensus All-American at the University of Notre Dame under legendary head coach Ara Parseqhian. The Irish won the 1966 National Championship. Kunz was the second player taken in the 1969 NFL Draft. He was a seven-time All-Pro offensive lineman with the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Colts.
DAVID LONG , JR. '16
First team High School All-American DB for the Cubs in 2015. All-State first team, All-CIF Division I for Loyola team that finished 17th in state. Long was an All-Big Ten corner at the University of Michigan. Third round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Starting corner for Rams Super Bowl LVI champs in 2022. Long had a pick six with the Rams. He played with the Las Vegas Raiders to start the 2023 season and is now with the Carolina Panthers.
ANTHONY BARR '10
A 2009 Pre-Season All-American running back before his senior year at Loyola. Serra League Most Valuable Offensive Player in 2008, when he rushed for 1,890 yards and 20 TDs. Played linebacker for UCLA where he was a two-time All-Pac-12 player. Consensus All-American as a senior and winner of the Lott IMPACT award as the nation's top defensive player. Ninth player taken in 2014 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Four-time All-Pro linebacker for the Vikings, for whom he played for eight seasons. Played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
GORDON BANKS '76
Banks was an All-Del Rey League running back on Loyola's undefeated 1975 CIF AAAA and National Championship team. He converted to the wide receiver position at Stanford. He played for the New Orleans Saints in 1980 and 1981. He then started for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL, before completing his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1985 through 1987. He had 3,365 receiving yards in his pro career.
CHRIS CONTE '07
Conte was an All-CIF safety at Loyola and was a key member of the Cubs' 2005 CIF Division I championship team. He was a scholarship safety at Cal where he earned All-Pac-10 first team honors in 2010. Conte was drafted in the the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears for whom he started at safety from 2011 through 2014. He made the PFWA All-Rookie team in his first season. Conte thereafter played safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015-2018. He had 14 career interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD.
DANNY FARMER '95
An all-league wide receiver and team MVP for Loyola in 1994, Farmer also started and excelled for the Cub basketball and volleyball teams. He was named the 1995 CIF Player of the Year after leading Loyola to the CIF Div. I volleyball title. After an All-Pac-10 career at UCLA, in which he set a still standing Bruins' record for most receiving yards and helped lead UCLA's volleyball team to National Championships in 1996 and 1998, Farmer was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Later that season he joined the Cincinnati Bengals for whom he played receiver from 2000-2003. Farmer played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and the Miami Dolphins in 2005.
COLEMAN SHELTON '13
All-Serra League two-way lineman at Loyola in 2012. All Pac-12 OL and team captain at the University of Washington, and Huskies' Lineman of the Year as a senior. Signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, and later in the season by the Arizona Cardinals. Signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Started at center for the Rams in Super Bowl LVI. Currently the Rams' starting center.
MYLES BRYANT '16
Loyola team MVP on 2015 team. All-League, All-State honorable mention DB. All-Pac-12 corner at the University of Washington. As a senior Bryant was named Huskies' Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Signed by the New England Patriots in 2020. Has been a multi-year starter for the Patriots at corner.
MATTHEW WARE '01
All-American and All-State safety for Loyola's 2000 CIF Division I finalist squad, for which he was the starting quarterback. The team finished ranked 15th in the nation. Was named the CIF Division I Player of the Year. Was a freshman All-American at UCLA as a safety. Drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006, and finished his NFL career with Arizona in 2011.
SCOTT TERCERO '99
All-CIF offensive lineman at Loyola in 1998. After a standout career at the University of California, Tercero was drafted in the eighth round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams for whom he played for two seasons and started four games.
AL POLLARD '47
Halfback Al Pollard was Loyola's only two-time CIF Large Schools Player of the Year (1945-1946). Known by the sporting Press as the "Loyola Express", Pollard played for Loyola University and Army West Point. He was drafted by the New York Yanks in the 1951 NFL Draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles though the 1954 season before embarking on a career in the predecessor of the Canadian Football League, in which he was named All-Canadian for the British Columbia Lions. He was a long-time broadcaster for the Philadelphia Eagles.
JOE MURRAY '78
Murray was a high school All-American and ALL-CIF Big Five Conference offensive tackle on Loyola's nationally ranked 1977 CIF semifinalist team. He started on the offensive line at USC in 1982, and later started on the offensive line for one year for the Los Angeles Rams. Murray also played for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL and was on the practice squads of the Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. He currently serves as Loyola's varsity offensive line coach.
JEFF GRAU '98
A long snapper at Loyola, Grau played on the Cubs' 1996 CIF division I finalist team and 1997 CIF Division I semifinalist squad. He played at UCLA for four seasons and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He was the long snapper for the Dallas Cowboys in 2002 and the Miami Dolphins in 2003.
LOYOLA PRE-GAME FRIDAY
Loyola parents, alumni and supporters will be meeting before Friday's quarterfinal playoff game at 4:00 p.m. at The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar, 4975 Lakeview Avenue, Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Try to leave work early on Friday to lessen traffic time.