LOYOLA DEFENSE STIFLES BEARCATS IN CIF DIVISION 5 QUARTERFINALS TO HELP CUBS DEFEAT BONITA 21-14 AND ADVANCE TO CIF DIVISION 5 SEMIFINALS

The story of a still unfolding, against-all-odds football season is becoming more rousing by the moment for Loyola as the Cubs defeated Bonita, 21-14, in La Verne on Friday in a playoff quarterfinal battle, enabling them to advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 5 semifinals to be played on their home field this Friday, and, incredibly, putting them one win away from playing for a CIF title.

In a steady downpour just south of the San Gabriel Mountains’ foothills, fortunately played on artificial turf, Loyola’s "Wolfpack’ defense shut out its opponent in the second half for the second consecutive game, and a five-yard TD run by junior running back KANE CASANI to cap a 75-yard drive on the third quarter’s opening possession sealed the outcome for a surging Big Blue squad whose spirits could not be any higher as a group of determined players prepare for a semifinal matchup against Redondo Union (8-4), which squeaked by St. Paul, 14-13, in the other upper bracket quarterfinal contest played at Redondo.

The Cub offense went three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, and the Bearcats struck in a hurry, as they scored on a 63-yard pass on their second offensive play at the 9:22 mark of the first quarter to give Bonita a 7-0 lead.

After the teams exchanged punts, Loyola drove 54 yards in four plays with the money call coming on a perfectly executed 33-yard end-around by junior wide receiver SAM FRIEND. JACOB KREINBRING’s PAT kick knotted the score, 7-7, with 1:14 left in the first quarter.

Following an unsuccessful Cub onside kick attempt, Bonita went 52 yards in eight plays, scoring on a 22-yard double pass to go up 14-7.

Two series’ later Cub safety GAVIN MILLER picked off a Bearcat pass at the Bonita 28 yard line. Thereafter, running back JAYDEN ROGERS ran into the end zone untouched from four yards out on the sixth play of the 28-yard drive. KREINBRING’s kick tied the score, 14-14, with 3:36 left before intermission.

Loyola blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt as time expired in the first half.

A 35-yard ROGERS run and a 37- yard pass completion from junior QB GAVIN GRABE to senior tight end WES McMULLIN were the key plays before CASANI’s scoring run on the first series of the third quarter put Loyola up, 21-14, providing it a lead that would not be relinquished.

Cub junior safety GAGE SANTOS made a critical third quarter interception, and KREINBRING boomed a towering 55-yard punt in the fourth quarter to make life difficult for the Bearcats’ offense.

Loyola’s defense held Bonita to 257 yards of total offense on the night, and held the Bearcats to less than 100 yards in the second half.

GAVIN GRABE’s three pass completions averaged 20.7 yards. JAYDEN ROGERS gained 65 yards on the ground, and KANE CASANI rushed for 64 yards.

The Cubs (6-6) now will put full focus on Redondo Union for an opportunity to advance to the title bout, which will be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 5 QUARTERFINAL PLAYOFF GAME RESULTS

Redondo* (8-4) 14 vs. St. Paul (4-8) 13

BONITA* (7-5) 14 vs. LOYOLA (6-6) 21

Aliso Niguel* (8-4) 7 vs. La Serna (9-3) 10

Rio Hondo Prep* (12-0) 28 vs. Troy (10-2) 0

* Denotes home team

FRIDAY’S CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 5 SEMIFINALS MATCHUPS

Redondo (8-4) at LOYOLA (6-6)

La Serna (9-3) @ Rio Hondo Prep (12-0)

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Below is the list of Loyola graduates on college football teams in 2025 according to published collegiate rosters:

JAKE ARELLANO '24, DB, Bentley University

CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University

BROCK BOJORQUEZ ‘25, DB, Johns Hopkins

COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin

KHALIL CUEVA ‘24, WR, University of San Diego

JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal

LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego

CONNOR KLEIN ‘25, LB, Cornell

SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia

LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran

JOSHUA LONG ‘21, TE, Eastern Michigan

TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton

JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC

XAVIER RICE ‘23, QB, Duquesne

ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis

PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia

ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB, Idaho

HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU

JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC

JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas

SCOTT TAYLOR '25, LB, UCLA

RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth

DESI VALDES ‘25, DB, Pasadena City College

CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State

ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame

CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska

SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA

2025 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS (6-6)

8-22 Cathedral (L 36-14)

8-29 @ Millikan (Long Beach) (W 35-25)

9-5 Mount Miguel (L 21-0)

9-12 @ Hamilton (Los Angeles) (W 42-21)

9-19 St. Francis (W 9-3)

10-3 @ Notre Dame* (L 35-10)

10-9 @Serra* at SoFi Stadium (W 13-10)

10-17 Bishop Amat* (L, 30-14)

10-24 @ Chaminade* (L, 52-0)

10-31 Sierra Canyon* (L, 52-3)

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIV. 5 PLAYOFFS

11-7 Newbury Park (W, 17-14)

11-14 @ Bonita ( W, 21-14)

11-21 Redondo Union

*Denotes Mission League game

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Below is the list of Loyola graduates on college football teams in 2025 according to published collegiate rosters:

JAKE ARELLANO '24, DB, Bentley University

CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University

BROCK BOJORQUEZ ‘25, DB, Johns Hopkins

COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin

KHALIL CUEVA ‘24, WR, University of San Diego

JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal

LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego

CONNOR KLEIN ‘25, LB, Cornell

SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia

LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran

JOSHUA LONG ‘21, TE, Eastern Michigan

TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton

JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC

XAVIER RICE ‘23, QB, Duquesne

ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis

PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia

ZAKHARI SPEARS ‘21, DB, Idaho

HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU

JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC

JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas

SCOTT TAYLOR '25, LB, UCLA

RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth

DESI VALDES ‘25, DB, Pasadena City College

CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State

ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame

CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska

SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA

2025 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS (5-6)

8-22 Cathedral (L 36-14)

8-29 @ Millikan (Long Beach) (W 35-25)

9-5 Mount Miguel (L 21-0)

9-12 @ Hamilton (Los Angeles) (W 42-21)

9-19 St. Francis (W 9-3)

10-3 @ Notre Dame* (L 35-10)

10-9 @Serra* at SoFi Stadium (W 13-10)

10-17 Bishop Amat* (L, 30-14)

10-24 @ Chaminade* (L, 52-0)

10-31 Sierra Canyon* (L, 52-3)

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIV. 5 PLAYOFFS

11-7 Newbury Park (W, 17-14)

11-14 @ Bonita (W, 21-14)

11-21 Redondo Union

*Denotes Mission League game

CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Former Loyola DB DESI VALDES was named All-Conference for Pasadena City College.

If there are any grads who should be added to the Cubs in College Football list please email updates. Unfortunately we were unable to find an update that was recently sent by a subscriber, and encourage the sender to email again.

CUBS IN NFL

COLEMAN SHELTON ‘13 continues to have an outstanding campaign as the starting center for the Los Angeles Rams . . . MYLES BRYANT ‘16, Loyola’s 2015 MVP, is seeing playing time at nickel back for the Houston Texans . . . Former Loyola All-League DB ALEX JOHNSON ‘19, a corner, was with the Tennessee Titans practice squad and is looking for a new NFL home . . . Former Loyola All-American defensive back DAVID LONG, Jr. was recently signed to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad after recovering from injury.

Loyola grad GEORGE PATON ‘87, the Cubs’ 1986 team MVP, is the general manager of the Denver Broncos, and his ball club sits atop the AFC’s Western Division standings.