Cub Football - Loyola wins shootout, 34-31, over arch rival Mira Costa
LOYOLA HOLDS ON FOR A ROAD VICTORY IN MANHATTAN BEACH TO IMPROVE TO 5-1
On Friday night Loyola survived an upset bid in Manhattan Beach by a highly motivated Mira Costa team that was well prepared for a rivalry game that dates back some 58 years. The contest was played before a raucous capacity crowd with the home school student rooting section incessantly roaring “overrated” and engaging in profane chants that were in a word disturbing.
At the end of the day, the Cub playmakers were simply better than those of the Mustangs, which allowed Loyola to hold on for an emotion-charged, 34-31, non-league victory over a program to which it has never lost in fourteen meetings.
The Cubs had few answers for a Mustang passing attack that was operating on all cylinders. After Loyola sophomore inside linebacker TJ SMITH intercepted a Mira Costa pass with less than two minutes to play, the Mustang coaching staff was forced to use all of its remaining time outs before the Cubs tried for a first down on a fourth-and-two play, which failed, with less than a minute left in the contest. Mira Costa hit a couple of big pass plays before time expired with the Mustangs in business at the Loyola 18-yard line.
Mira Costa’s players had obviously read media stories about the fact that the Mustangs had never beaten the Cubs on the gridiron on 13 previous tries. Donned in special dark green uniforms the hosts played with uncommon intensity from the opening play until the clock hit 0:00 after four nail-biting back-and-forth quarters. A few Cub miscues contributed to the much closer than expected Loyola triumph.
Costa received the opening kickoff and quickly capped a long distance eight-play drive on a 43-yard pass at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter. Loyola wasted no time answering, driving 80 yards in six plays with the TD coming on a seven yard pass from senior quarterback JOE TATUM to senior wide receiver JACOBY KELLY a minute and 20 seconds later. A missed extra point try made the score 7-6 in favor of the Mustangs.
KELLY again put six on the scoreboard for the Cubs with 4:13 left in the first quarter when he caught a screen pass from TATUM and raced 56 yards to pay dirt. Sophomore kicker MARK HYAN’s extra point gave Loyola a 13-7 lead.
Mira Costa converted a 27-yard field goal attempt eight seconds before halftime to draw the Mustangs within three points, with the Cubs ahead 13-10.
Following a bad Loyola punt on its first possession of the second half, Costa took over at its 49-yard line. On the Mustangs’ first play they executed a perfectly executed double pass for a touchdown to forge ahead, 17-13, at the 9:21 mark of the third quarter.
Loyola countered with a six-play scoring drive, capped by a 38-yard TD catch and run by senior wide receiver PETER VANIS off a short throw by Tatum to put the Cubs back in the lead, 20-17, at the 6:36 mark of the third quarter
A 60-yard run by Loyola senior running back TAHJ OWENS stretched the Cubs’ lead to 27-17 with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter, and Big Blue fans were starting to breathe easier.
Alas, Loyola was intercepted on its next possession following a brilliant punt return by VANIS. Costa went 55 yards in four plays, aided by a personal foul penalty, scoring on a TD pass with 10:03 left on the game clock to make the score 27-24.
The Cubs answered immediately as OWENS raced for 14 yards on the first play of the ensuing drive, and on the second play TATUM again hooked up with VANIS on a 68-yard scoring pass to extend Loyola’s lead to 34-24.
The Mustangs could not be lassoed by the Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense, and stampeded to a quick passing TD to draw within three, narrowing Loyola’s lead to 34-31 late in the fourth quarter. The Cubs were forced to punt after a sack on their ensuing possession, and Mira Costa had the ball-and momentum-with just over two minutes left in the battle as it started it’s hoped-for game winning drive at its 48 yard line.
Loyola inside linebacker TJ SMITH intercepted a Mustang pass to allow the visitor’ pulse rates to drop, but eschewing a punt, the Cubs attempted a running play on fourth-and-two, but came up just short. Costa had the ball at the Loyola 40 with a minute left. Out of time outs, the Mustangs passed their way to the Cubs’ 18 yard line before time expired.
With the home team’s student spectators engaging in a profane chant as 0:00 showed on the clock, Loyola partisans were able to simply point to the scoreboard as the Cubs recorded their 14th victory without a loss in their series against the Mustangs.
The contest was much closer than anticipated by Loyola fans, but as they say, a W is a W, and the Cubs improved to 5-1 as they look forward to their trip to take on the rugged San Clemente Tritons this Friday.
On Friday night Loyola survived an upset bid in Manhattan Beach by a highly motivated Mira Costa team that was well prepared for a rivalry game that dates back some 58 years. The contest was played before a raucous capacity crowd with the home school student rooting section incessantly roaring “overrated” and engaging in profane chants that were in a word disturbing.
At the end of the day, the Cub playmakers were simply better than those of the Mustangs, which allowed Loyola to hold on for an emotion-charged, 34-31, non-league victory over a program to which it has never lost in fourteen meetings.
The Cubs had few answers for a Mustang passing attack that was operating on all cylinders. After Loyola sophomore inside linebacker TJ SMITH intercepted a Mira Costa pass with less than two minutes to play, the Mustang coaching staff was forced to use all of its remaining time outs before the Cubs tried for a first down on a fourth-and-two play, which failed, with less than a minute left in the contest. Mira Costa hit a couple of big pass plays before time expired with the Mustangs in business at the Loyola 18-yard line.
Mira Costa’s players had obviously read media stories about the fact that the Mustangs had never beaten the Cubs on the gridiron on 13 previous tries. Donned in special dark green uniforms the hosts played with uncommon intensity from the opening play until the clock hit 0:00 after four nail-biting back-and-forth quarters. A few Cub miscues contributed to the much closer than expected Loyola triumph.
Costa received the opening kickoff and quickly capped a long distance eight-play drive on a 43-yard pass at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter. Loyola wasted no time answering, driving 80 yards in six plays with the TD coming on a seven yard pass from senior quarterback JOE TATUM to senior wide receiver JACOBY KELLY a minute and 20 seconds later. A missed extra point try made the score 7-6 in favor of the Mustangs.
KELLY again put six on the scoreboard for the Cubs with 4:13 left in the first quarter when he caught a screen pass from TATUM and raced 56 yards to pay dirt. Sophomore kicker MARK HYAN’s extra point gave Loyola a 13-7 lead.
Mira Costa converted a 27-yard field goal attempt eight seconds before halftime to draw the Mustangs within three points, with the Cubs ahead 13-10.
Following a bad Loyola punt on its first possession of the second half, Costa took over at its 49-yard line. On the Mustangs’ first play they executed a perfectly executed double pass for a touchdown to forge ahead, 17-13, at the 9:21 mark of the third quarter.
Loyola countered with a six-play scoring drive, capped by a 38-yard TD catch and run by senior wide receiver PETER VANIS off a short throw by Tatum to put the Cubs back in the lead, 20-17, at the 6:36 mark of the third quarter
A 60-yard run by Loyola senior running back TAHJ OWENS stretched the Cubs’ lead to 27-17 with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter, and Big Blue fans were starting to breathe easier.
Alas, Loyola was intercepted on its next possession following a brilliant punt return by VANIS. Costa went 55 yards in four plays, aided by a personal foul penalty, scoring on a TD pass with 10:03 left on the game clock to make the score 27-24.
The Cubs answered immediately as OWENS raced for 14 yards on the first play of the ensuing drive, and on the second play TATUM again hooked up with VANIS on a 68-yard scoring pass to extend Loyola’s lead to 34-24.
The Mustangs could not be lassoed by the Cub ‘Wolfpack’ defense, and stampeded to a quick passing TD to draw within three, narrowing Loyola’s lead to 34-31 late in the fourth quarter. The Cubs were forced to punt after a sack on their ensuing possession, and Mira Costa had the ball-and momentum-with just over two minutes left in the battle as it started it’s hoped-for game winning drive at its 48 yard line.
Loyola inside linebacker TJ SMITH intercepted a Mustang pass to allow the visitor’ pulse rates to drop, but eschewing a punt, the Cubs attempted a running play on fourth-and-two, but came up just short. Costa had the ball at the Loyola 40 with a minute left. Out of time outs, the Mustangs passed their way to the Cubs’ 18 yard line before time expired.
With the home team’s student spectators engaging in a profane chant as 0:00 showed on the clock, Loyola partisans were able to simply point to the scoreboard as the Cubs recorded their 14th victory without a loss in their series against the Mustangs.
The contest was much closer than anticipated by Loyola fans, but as they say, a W is a W, and the Cubs improved to 5-1 as they look forward to their trip to take on the rugged San Clemente Tritons this Friday.
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Cub Football and Loyola athletics news: