October 27, 2023

Cub Football - Loyola takes care of business against Cathedral - With St. Paul's win over St. Francis, Cubs are Angelus League Co-Champions - CIF divisions and seeds will be announced on Sunday

LOYOLA SMOTHERS CATHEDRAL 27-6, SECURES LEAGUE CO-CHAMPIONSHIP WITH ST. PAUL'S UPSET VICTORY OVER ST. FRANCIS
The Cubs' final Angelus League triumph of the 2023 campaign was not a paradigm of perfection, but standout performances by Loyola's 'Wolfpack' defense and special teams were the catalysts in its 27-6 road win over Cathedral on Friday night.

Fireworks lit up the cool night sky at the south end of the Phantoms' stadium following the final play of the contest, apparently because the pyrotechnic specialists had not been told to hold off on the explosive display in the event the home team lost. But the jubilant Cubs were dancing at midfield with the colorful nocturnal lights bursting overhead.

Shortly after the in-air light show prematurely ended, word came down that St. Paul had just upset league leader St. Francis, 37-32, in Santa Fe Springs to assure an Angelus League co-championship for Loyola.

Just like that, the Cubs' stock rose off the charts. The possibilities are now virtually limitless for a team that could be in the hunt for big prizes as the CIF Southern Section playoffs kick off next Friday.

There was no question Cathedral, a big, athletic squad, would come to play against the men in Blue. In September, the CIF Southern Section ruled that the Phantoms would be ineligible for the CIF playoffs because of rule transgressions relating to transfers. Cathedral's quest to end its 2023 season on a high note fell flat as Loyola held the Phantoms to their lowest scoring output (six points) of the season, and 24 points below their scoring average through their first nine games.

The Cubs wasted no time setting the tone for the ball game. Following a kick return to the Loyola 49 yard line, the Big Blue drove 51 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a four-yard pass from T.K. KNYAL to tight end CARSON REAL at the 8:32 mark of the first quarter. MARK HYAN's extra point kick gave the Cubs a 7-0 lead, which would end up being all the points the they would need to vanquish the Phantoms.

Cathedral kicked a 35-yard field goal with 2:21 remaining in the first quarter to draw within four points. After the teams exchanged punts, HYAN kicked a 40-yard field goal with 7:13 left in the second quarter to increase Loyola's lead to 14-3. 

The Cubs' opportunistic 'Wolfpack' defense made what was the key play of the game when safety DESI VALDES blocked a Phantoms' punt which corner BRANDON LOCKHART returned 40 yards for a TD with 4:24 remaining in the first half. HYAN's PAT kick gave Loyola a 17-3 advantage.

Cathedral, though, would not go away as the Phantoms drove 66 yards before Cub Edge IKE SANDERS made one of his three big sacks of the night to force a 20-yard field goal attempt. The kick was successful to make the score 17-6 with 9.5 seconds left before intermission.

MARK HYAN kicked a 21-yard field goal at the 4:26 mark of the third quarter to increase Loyola's lead to 20-6. Following unsportsmanlike conduct infractions assessed against Cathedral which set the Cubs at the Phantoms' three yard line, tight end SCOTT TAYLOR took a jet sweep three yards to pay dirt with 2:30 left on the game clock. HYAN's PAT kick made the final score 27-6.

And then the fireworks began.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE CUBS
On Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. the CIF Southern Section will announce divisional  placements and brackets for Divisions 1 through 14.

The playoff divisions to which teams are assigned per the competitive equity system is determined by their final regular season computer rankings by CalPreps. Loyola (5-5, 4-1) is ranked 44th in the CIF Southern Section. Where the Cubs end up in the playoff picture will at least partly be dependent on how many teams will be placed in the Division 1 bracket.

The best case scenario for Loyola would be if ten teams are assigned to Division 1. That would mean the Cubs would likely be seeded as the number two squad in Division 4. The worst case scenario would be if there are twelve teams in Division 1. That could make Loyola the 16th seed in Division 3.

Divisional placement will also be affected by guaranteed entrants. Three schools in six-team leagues, such ans the Angelus, are guaranteed playoff berths, four in seven-squad conferences and two in five-team loops. There will be some quality teams that will not be selected as at-large playoff entrants because of the guaranteed qualification rules.

There are a number of permutations and combinations that can be conjured, but the puzzles will be solved on Sunday.

FINAL ANGELUS LEAGUE STANDINGS
LOYOLA       4-1  5-5 overall
St. Francis   4-1  8-2 overall
St. Paul        3-2  5-5 overall
Paraclete     2-3  7-3 overall
Cathedral     2-3  4-6 overall
Crespi           0-5  2-8 overall

2023 LOYOLA 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* (W 27-6)
(* denotes Angelus League game)