November 18, 2022

Cub Football - Loyola’s season ends in CIF Division 6 semifinals

CUBS FALL TO ORANGE, 38-35, IN DOWN-TO-THE-WIRE CIF DIVISION 6 PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS
Loyola’s 2022 campaign came to a painful end on a chilly night at Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange on Friday in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 semifinals, as the Cubs relinquished over 420 yards of total offense to the Orange Panthers, who hung on for a 38-35 victory that will send them to the title game next Friday against San Jacinto, which defeated Calabasas, 15-14, in the other Division 6 semifinal contest.  

The Cubs had to do three things to defeat the Panthers, run the ball, slow down Orange’s rushing attack and limit big plays. The Big Blue checked the first box, but could not get it done on the latter two. And even with those failures, the Cubs remained in it until the final two minutes of the battle.

On their first drive of the game, less than two minutes into the contest, the Orange Coast League champion Panthers, who improved to 11-2 on the season, hit on a 53-yard TD pass. It was a sobering portent of what was ahead. 

Orange took a 20-11 lead into halftime, but Loyola cut the deficit to 20-14 on a 42-yard MARK HYAN field goal with 9:41 left in the third quarter.

The Panthers extended their lead to 28-14 on a 13-yard QB run on an option play, followed by a two-point conversion run, at the 5:45 mark of the third quarter.

The Cubs answered in short order on a 58-yard sprint to pay dirt by senior running back JON BAUTISTA on a fourth-and-four play to close the deficit to 28-21.

The teams exchanged punts before Orange connected on a 20-yard field goal with 8:14 left in the fourth quarter to increase its lead to 31-21.  

With 3:56 left on the game clock, BAUTISTA scored on a three-yard run to cap a hurry-up 55-yard drive to pull Loyola within three points, making the score 31-28.

On the Cubs ensuing onside kick, it appeared that the ball was touched first by a Panther player before being recovered by the Cubs. After the officials huddled for what seemed like an interminable five minutes, the critical recovery was overturned, and seconds later Orange scored on yet another big play, a 45-yard TD sprint with 3:01 left in the game, to increase its lead to 38-28. But the determined Big Blue refused to throw in the towel.

On its next possession, Loyola quarterback XAVIER RICE connected with wide receiver WILKE WILES on a 31-yard pass, after which BAUTISTA scored his third TD of the night on a three-yard bolt up the middle. HYAN’s kick made the score 38-35 with two and a half minutes remaining in the game.

The Cubs final onside try failed, and that was the end-of the game and the season.

The Panthers missed their first extra point of the contest, as did Loyola following a 12-yard scoring jaunt by JUSTIN SMITH, at the 6:48 mark of the first quarter.

With the score tied, 6-6, Cub linebacker JARED ERBY recovered an Orange fumble at the Loyola 42 yard line. Shortly thereafter HYAN kicked a 38-yard field goal to give the Cubs a 9-6 lead with 2:10 remaining in the first quarter.

The Panthers answered with a nine play, 51-yard drive, capped by a three-yard TD run to put the home team in the lead, 13-9, 21 seconds into the second quarter.

On Orange’s next possession following a Loyola punt, which pinned the Panthers deep in their own territory, Loyola was gifted with a safety when the center snap sailed over their quarterback’s head, and he was forced to fall on the loose ball in the end zone.

With the score 13-11, the Cubs took the kick following the safety down to Orange’s 35 yard line. Instead of trying a 30-yard field goal on fourth down-and-three yards to go at the Panthers’ 13 yard line, which could have given it a one-point lead and added momentum, Loyola failed on a fourth down pass attempt into the left flat. The victors then drove 87 yards in 11 plays to forge a 20-11 lead with 2:35 left before intermission. The failed fourth down attempt proved to be the pivotal play of the game.

BAUTISTA finished his final outing as a a Cub with 138 yards on 20 carries (6.9 ypc) and three TDs. The hard-nosed senior running back was a bright spot on the night and throughout the season for the Big Blue.

At the end of the day, the outcome was a result of Loyola’s inability to stop Orange’s fast, athletic offense on a consistent basis.

The Cubs can point to their Angelus League tri-championship as the highlight of the campaign.

While Loyola‘s season ended with a 7-6 record, the team certainly exceeded most expectations following a disastrous season opening loss and some early one-sided setbacks.

Making it to the semifinal round of the playoffs was a high accomplishment in itself. But the sting of the close loss will linger for a while.