October 6, 2022

Cub Football - Loyola routs Crespi for second league win - Loyola sophs and frosh notch victories

CUBS CRUSH CRESPI 49-0 TO SECURE SECOND LEAGUE WIN
Loyola had an opportunity to improve in its second Angelus League contest against winless Crespi at Smith Field on Friday night, and improve it did, routing the Celts 49-0, to improve to 2-0 in league and 3-4 overall.

In their second conference win the Cubs amassed over 400 yards of total offense for the first time this season. Senior quarterback XAVIER RICE had his most prolific passing performance of the season, completing 18 of 24 throws for 207 yards (75%) and two touchdowns.

Senior running back JON BAUTISTA averaged 17.5 per carry and scored a TD, while sophomore halfback DESI VALDES scored two touchdowns and averaged 13.7 yards per tote.

Senior wide receiver WILKE WILES caught six passes for 85 yards (14.5 yds. per reception) and scored a touchdown to go along with a dazzling 51-yard kickoff return.

The offensive line lead by senior right tackle and co-captain JACK SUSNJAR, junior right guard RYAN TURK, senior center MATTHEW POHL, junior left guard CHAMP WESTBROOKS, senior left tackles LEIGHTON LINE and JACK PARIS opened some big holes for the Loyola ground game and protected Rice well to aid the Cub aerial attack. 

Meanwhile, Loyola’s ‘Wolfpack’ defense pitched its first shutout of the campaign. Indeed, the impressive outing came against the worst team on the Big Blue’s schedule, but there is no doubt the squad took a big step forward.

WILES returned the opening kickoff 51 yards, which set the tone for the night. VALDES raced 17 yards for six points to cap a 44 yard drive at the 9:46 mark of the first quarter. Junior MARK HYAN’s PAT kick made the score 7-0, a lead the Cubs would never relinquish.

Crespi mounted a good drive on its first possession, but it was thwarted by a fumble caused by TURK and recovered by freshman corner BRANDON LOCKHART at the Loyola 15 yard line.

The Cubs promptly drove 85 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 10-yard BAUTISTA run with 38 seconds remaining in the first quarter to increase Loyola’s lead to 14-0. 

A disastrous Celt punt on Crespi’s ensuing possession set the Cubs up at the Celts’ 34 yard line. VALDES darted eight yards for his second TD, HYAN’s PAT kick made the score 21-0 with 8:15 left in the second quarter, and the rout was on.

After Loyola’s defense stopped Crespi on a fourth down, the Cubs took over at their own 43 yard line. RICE hit WILES on a beautifully executed pass play that covered 56 yards, and on the second play RICE connected with WILES again for a one-yard TD with 4:23 left in the first half to put Loyola up 28-0.

Cub senior corner DARON ELAM intercepted a Crespi pass in the end zone for a touchback to end a Celt threat just before halftime.

Junior safety JAKE ARELLANO picked off a Crespi pass on the opening drive of the second half to set Loyola up at the  Celts’ 43 yard line. RICE through a deep ball to ZANE NUR, who made a spectacular catch for a 34-yard TD at the 10:38 mark of the third quarter to increase the Cubs’ lead to 35-0.

Following an interception by corner JORDAN HEWITT, Loyola drove 80 yards in seven plays, scoring on a one-yard run by junior JUSTIN SMITH to make the score 42-0 seven seconds into the fourth quarter.

The Cub bench was cleared in the fourth quarter which was played with a running clock. Sophomore quarterback THOMAS KNYAL ran seven yards for a TD with 4:33 left in the contest to make the score 49-0.

Junior DB ALEXANDER RUANO notched the Cubs’ third interception of the game on the last play of the contest.

Loyola took a step up, but will need to continue to improve to stay in the chase for a third consecutive league title. 

Run defense and penalties (two TDs were called back on holding calls) are two areas, in particular, that need continued improvement as the Cubs prepare for a road trip to Antelope Valley College in Lancaster to take on Paraclete next Friday. Paraclete (0-7, 0-2) fell to visiting St. Paul (3-4, 1-1), 17-6 on Friday. St. Francis (5-2, 2-0) downed Cathedral (5-2, 1-1), 48-39, in a shoot out. 

LOYOLA FRESHMEN OVERCOME MULTIPLE TURNOVERS, DOWN BISHOP AMAT, 16-14

Coming off an historic 70-8 win over St. Paul on September 29, it was anticipated that the Loyola freshman team would roll over long time rival Bishop Amat on Thursday in La Puente. It did not turn out that way.

Four turnovers (three fumbles and an interception) by the Cubs nearly enabled the Lancers to pull off a major upset against Loyola in its first road game of the season.

If it had been known before the non-league contest that the Cubs would open the game with a three-play 65-yard touchdown drive and thereafter hold the Lancers to four three-and-outs and three failed fourth down attempts in ten possessions, and record a safety, the assumption would be that a Loyola rout would be the outcome.

But a tough, well-coached, Bishop Amat squad made a handful of big plays and quelled several potent Cub advances and forced the aforementioned critical turnovers to make it a close encounter, from which Loyola escaped with a 16-14 victory to remain undefeated.

Whether the Cubs were overly confident after their rout of St. Paul or simply not fully focused, it was by no means an aesthetic victory.

Quarterback JACK THOMAS connected with PETER SCIARRINO on a beautifully executed 45-yard scoring pass play on the game’s opening possession to put Loyola up 7-0 early in the first quarter and the Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense promptly forced its first three-and-out on the Lancers’ ensuing possession, and it looked like another one-sided triumph was unfolding.

But everything in terms of Big Blue momentum changed when Loyola fumbled the punt at its 31 yard line. The Cub defense thereafter held Bishop Amat on fourth down, setting up Loyola’s offense at its 26 yard line. After a 33-yard run by SONNY VILLEGAS on a drive that looked as one that would recapture momentum, four consecutive incomplete passes gave the Lancers possession at their 31 yard line.

A 48-yard TD option run by Amat’s QB capped a four-play 69 yard drive, and just like that the score was knotted, 7-7, at the 11:41 mark of the second quarter.

A 42 yard pass from THOMAS to JOSH GALLAGHER on the first play of the Cubs’ ensuing possession looked like a spark Loyola desperately needed, but  the drive ended when Amat forced a turnover on downs.

Late in the second quarter a big third down sack by defensive lineman JAMES MEIER set up an Amat fourth down which it failed to convert.

With less than two minutes remaining before intermission the Cubs mounted a drive at their 28 yard line which may be one of the most incredible in Loyola freshman football history. A personal foul with no time left on the clock set up the Cubs for an untimed play at the Lancers’ 44-yard line. Amat was called for pass interference on the play, giving Loyola another untimed shot at the end zone with 0:00 on the clock.

THOMAS then found JACKSON NELSON sprinting down the visitors’ sideline for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Cubs an improbable 14-7 lead going into the locker room.

Loyola’s defense forced another three-and-out to begin the second half, and after the punt the Cubs had the ball at the Amat 47 yard line. Loyola marched down to the Lancer one yard line where another fumble prevented the Cubs from forging what would have been a 14-point lead.

On Amat’s first play, a ferocious Loyola defense tackled the Lancers’ ball carrier in the end zone for a safety to put the Cubs up, 16-7. Loyola drove 76 yards following a towering kickoff, but was eventually held on downs at the Amat 24 yard line. Another scoring opportunity gone awry. A long distance scoring sprint by quarterback MASYN HARVEY was nullified by a questionable personal foul call.

The Cub defense promptly forced a three and out and Loyola was in business at its 30 yard line. SONNY VILLEGAS carried the ball for 71 yards on seven consecutive plays. Unfortunately a QB run play ended in a fumble, which the Lancers recovered at their 13 yard line.

Aided by a personal foul penalty called against the Cubs, Amat drove to the Loyola four yard line, where the Lancers converted on a fourth-and-goal pass play to draw within two points, 16-14.

The onside kick attempt by Amat failed and Loyola took over at the Lancers’ 34 yard line. Five plays later the Cubs threw a pick which set up the home team at its 20 yard line with over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Once again Loyola’s defense held Amat on four plays, after which the Cubs ran out the clock to escape with a 16-14 win in as unusual and inscrutable a game as you would ever see.

This victory belonged to the Loyola defense, led, by, among others, MEIER, nose guard DAMIEN UTUONE, linebacker RONEN ZAMORANO, outside linebacker WES McMULLIN, and tackle NATHAN TURK. Defensive back CADIN FETTERS broke up the Lancers’ final desperation aerial. The undefeated Cubs (6-0) will host Paraclete in an Angelus League battle next Thursday at Smith Field.

It is anticipated that the close call against Amat served as a lesson experience. If nothing else the victory demonstrated determination and resolve to overcome adversity.

LOYOLA SOPHS OUTSCORE CRESPI 42-35
At Smith Field on Thursday the Loyola sophomores downed the Crespi JV squad, 42-35. It was the Cubs’ second victory of the season.