Cub Football - Loyola team awards - Early look at 2023 - Lockhart named First Team Freshman All-American
2022 LOYOLA TEAM AWARDS
Loyola’s team banquet was held on campus on January 11. The team award honorees were as follows:
Most Inspirational: Senior QB XAVIER RICE
Loyola’s team banquet was held on campus on January 11. The team award honorees were as follows:
Most Inspirational: Senior QB XAVIER RICE
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Co-recipients, Junior running backs DESI VALDES and JUSTIN SMITH
Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Co-recipients, Sophomore outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR and Freshman DB BRANDON LOCKHART
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Senior center MATTHEW POHL
Defensive Excellence: Senior DB JORDAN HEWITT
Offensive Excellence: Senior running back JON PAUL BAUTISTA
Pat Jacobs Award: Senior all-purpose athlete CLAY WINNEK
Captains Award: Senior OL JACK SUSNJAR
Special Teams Player of the Year: CLAY WINNEK
Al Pollard MVP Award: Senior inside linebacker ZACHARY BOWLES
LOYOLA 2022 ANGELUS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS AND CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 6 SEMIFINALISTS
The Cubs played a grueling 2022 schedule, finished 7-6 overall and earned a share of a third consecutive Angelus League championship before making a run to the CIF Southern Section Division 6 playoff semifinals.
A SNEAK PEEK AT 2023
Eleven starters from last season’s Angelus League title squad will be returning to lead Loyola’s 2023 team, including six All-Angelus League players (junior offensive linemen CHAMP WESTBROOKS (6-4, 270) and RYAN TURK (6-4, 285), junior safety JAKE ARELLANO, freshman corner BRANDON LOCKHART, junior DL/Edge ISAIAH SANDERS (6-4, 220), and sophomore outside linebacker SCOTT TAYLOR (6-3, 215).
Other returning starters and players who saw considerable playing time include junior running backs DESI VALDES and JUSTIN SMITH, junior wide receivers KHALIL CUEVA and ZANE NUR, sophomore inside linebacker HENRY CASANI, and junior DBs CHAZ AUSTIN and ELIJAH BRADLEY.
One big reason for optimism heading into the 2023 off season is the influx of outstanding players moving up from the undefeated (9-0) Angelus League champion freshman squad that was one of the program’s all-time best.
EXTRA POINTS
Former Loyola quarterback NATHAN PRIESTLEY ‘19, who converted to wide receiver at the University of Georgia, earned a second consecutive National Championship ring.
Priestley’s Bulldogs defeated TCU in the National Championship game on January 9 at SoFi Stadium. Horned Frogs linebacker RYAN QUINTANAR ‘21 is also a Loyola grad. It is believed to bethe first CFP championship game featuring two teams with Cub grads pitted against one another.
Freshman standout corner BRANDON LOCKHART continues to pile up major college scholarship offers. His most recent offers came from Penn State and USC after an I trial offer from Oregon.
Among the Cubs’ returning varsity players, no less than four have major college scholarship offers and/or Ivy League interest. This marks what is believed to be the first time in program history that Loyola had two freshmen earn FBS scholarship offers.
It was reported that freshman WR/LB JACKSON NELSON received an offer from Colorado State.
Do not be surprised if the number of freshmen
with scholarship offers grows before the fall campaign. The 2022 Cub freshmen outscored their league opponents by an average score of 54-6.
LOCKHART NAMED FIRST TEAM FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN
The honors keep piling up for talented Loyola freshman corner BRANDON LOCKHART. He was just named a First Team Freshman All-American by MaxPreps.
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