November 11, 2023

Cub Football - Loyola season ended by Yorba Linda in CIF Div. 4 quarterfinals

LOYOLA'S CIF CHAMPIONSHIP QUEST ENDED BY YORBA LINDA IN 17-10 QUARTERFINAL LOSS
Loyola, winner of five straight games following a disappointing 1-5 start to the season, had high aspirations after being seeded number one in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs and winning its first round playoff game, 35-7, against Norte Vista a week ago, but an opportunistic, buttoned down and physical effort by the Yorba Linda Mustangs (9-3), who went 14-1 and won the CIF Southern Section Division 3 title a year ago, ended the Cubs' quest for a seventh CIF crown, as the Mustangs pulled off a 17-10 quarterfinal victory on Friday night at Shapell Stadium in Yorba Linda.

Two things on the check list of necessities to enable Loyola to notch the win were not accomplished. The Cubs had to run the ball consistently (they garnered 20 rushing yards in the first half) and slow down the Mustangs' ground game (Yorba Linda gained 205 yards on the ground and their lead ball carrier rushed for 143 yards on 20 carries, 7.2 ypc). Neither came to fruition with the frequency necessary for the Big Blue to get out of Orange County with a victory.

The Loyola offense did not score a touchdown for the first time this season and was held to three points, its lowest scoring output of the 2023 campaign. Yorba Linda's lines controlled the lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball for most of the game. The Cubs mustered just 70 yards of total offense in the first half while the Mustangs rolled up 145 before intermission and 305 for the game. The second half was essentially a repeat of the first.

Loyola's three first half possessions ended with a turnover on downs and two punts. The Cubs rushed for 20 total yards in the first two quarters, when a 16 yard snap over the head of the runner in Wildcat formation is factored into the ground stats.

After Yorba Linda missed badly on a 41-yard field goal attempt on the game's opening possession, Loyola put together its best offensive drive of the evening. The 16-yard loss was deep in Mustang territory, but an incomplete fourth down pass gave Yorba Linda the ball back at its 21 yard line.

After the teams traded punts, the Mustangs marched 52 yards on five rushing plays, scoring on a four-yard run with 4:23 left in the second quarter. Yorba Linda missed the PAT kick, but had a 6-0 lead.

Cub junior safety DESI VALDEZ came up huge, as he has all season long, blocking a Mustang punt as time was about to expire at the end of the first half. Senior ELIJAH BRADLEY picked up the loose ball and raced 60 yards down the visitors' side line to score Loyola's lone touchdown of the game with 0:00 on the clock. MARK HYAN's PAT kick gave the Big Blue a 7-6 lead and seemingly major momentum heading into the locker room.

Unfortunately, the momentum boost was short-lived for the Cubs. Following a Loyola punt on its first series of the second half, Yorba Linda put together a 68-yard drive, aided by a Cub face mask infraction, which was capped by a 31-yard TD pass at the 7:53 mark of the third quarter. The two-point conversion pass was good, giving the Mustangs a 14-7 advantage.

On the ensuing possession, MARK HYAN connected on a 38-yard field goal to cut Yorba Linda's lead to 14-10 with 2:12 left in the third quarter. The Mustangs answered with a 30-yard field goal of their own to increase their lead to 17-10 at the 8:09 mark of the fourth quarter.  

Following a good kickoff return by sophomore JOSH GALLAGHER, and an extra 15 yards tacked on by a face mask penalty assessed against the home team, Loyola had the ball at the Yorba Linda 47 yard line with plenty of time left in the contest for the Cubs to tie or win the game.

Loyola drove to the Mustangs' nine yard line, but third and fourth down passes fell incomplete, and that marked the end of the 2023 season for the Cubs.

The game might have ended differently but for a controversial official's call that went against the Big Blue. On Yorba Linda's first drive of the contest, Cub junior outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR appeared to strip the Mustangs' QB of the ball on a pass play. The loose ball was picked up with a clear path to a sure touchdown. The officials ruled the play an incomplete pass. Video of the play appeared not support the ruling, but that's life on the road.

Loyola ended the season with a 6-6 overall record and a 4-1 Angelus League ledger which earned it a conference co-championship.

The bright light looming at the end of the tunnel is the powerful Mission League, of which the Cubs will be a member in 2024.

2023 LOYOLA RECORD (6-6 overall, 4-1 Angelus League)

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* (W 27-6)          
November 3            Norte Vista (First Round CIF) (W 35-7)
November 10          @ Yorba Linda (Quarterfinals CIF) (L 17-10)

(* denotes Angelus League contest)