Cub Football - Salute to Veterans - TEAM may carry Loyola
VETERANS HONORED TODAY
A hearty salute to the soldiers, sailors, and air personnel who have protected our nation is in order on this Veteran's Day. There have been many Cub alumni who have served our country.
One Loyola alumnus who starred on the gridiron for the Cubs and served our nation with courage and distinction was WESLEY WILLARD '98, a three-year varsity starter for the Big Blue and an Army West Point football player and graduate who became a member of the elite Army Rangers and served as a high ranking officer during the Iraq War. His courageous duty netted him a Bronze Star.
WILLARD, who was honored as an All-CIF Southern Section defensive back in 1997, would have started on any team in Loyola's illustrious football history. He was an all-day, tough as nails running back and defensive back.
LOYOLA CAN ACCOMPLISH BIG GOALS
Last Friday's impressive 30-13 road victory over fourth-seeded Tustin in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs was a complete TEAM effort by the Big Blue.
The Cubs overcame adversity (two interceptions, including a pick-six) in the first half, which saw them trail 13-10 heading into the locker room at intermission.
The Big Blue scored 20 unanswered points in the final two quarters.
If Loyola puts forth similar TEAM effort going forward they will have a chance to make this a season to remember. . .One game, one play at a time.
NOTES ON LOYOLA HISTORY IN THE CIF SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
The Cubs have an impressive record as participants in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
This Friday's quarterfinal contest against Crean Lutheran will mark Loyola's 38th trip to the quarterfinal round out of its 50 CIF Southern Section playoff appearances.
For 20 consecutive campaigns, from 1986 through 2005, the Big Blue advanced to the CIF Division I quarterfinals. In that 20-year period the Cubs made it to the semifinal round on 12 occasions, played in the CIF Division I title game seven times and won three CIF Division I championships (1990, 2003 and 2005). Quite the two-decade run, to say the least.
Loyola's most recent quarterfinal playoff appearances were in 2015 (finished 17th in the state), 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Cubs were CIF Division 4 runners-up in 2019 and were CIF Division 6 semifinalists in 2022.
A LOOK AT CIF DIVISION 3 QUARTERFINAL OPPONENT CREAN LUTHERAN
The Crean Lutheran Saints (9-2) upset Moore League champion L.B. Millikan in a dramatic 20-17 road victory last Friday in a CIF Division 3 first round playoff tilt.
Head coach Rick Curtis's Saints recovered a late Rams fumble and kicked the winning field goal just before time expired.
Crean Lutheran's results to date are as follows:
CREAN LUTHERAN 35, Mullen (Denver) 12
CREAN LUTHERAN 56, St. Pius X 14
CREAN LUTHERAN 48, Liberty (Winchester, CA) 0
San Juan Hills 23, CREAN LUTHERAN 9
CREAN LUTHERAN 20, La Serna 0
CREAN LUTHERAN 38, Foothill 20
CREAN LUTHERAN 35, El Dorado 6
La Habra 15, CREAN LUTHERAN 13
CREAN LUTHERAN 38, Huntington Beach 14
CREAN LUTHERAN 35, Laguna Hills 7 CIF DIVISION 3 PLAYOFFS
CREAN LUTHERAN 20, Millikan 17
The average score of the Saints' 11 contests is 38-12.
Crean Lutheran, the second place team behind La Habra in the Epsilon League, features a balanced high scoring offense.
Heading into last week's playoff opener the Saints were averaging 193 yards per game through the air and 173 yards per outing on the ground.
Freshman quarterback Dylan D'Epitano (6-2, 170) had completed 64% of his passes for 1,140 yards (10.0 avg.), and thrown for 13 TDs with four interceptions. Sophomore signal caller Caden Jones (6-2, 185) had completed 80% of his passes for 726 yards (13.0 avg.) and threw for eight TDs with one interception.
A trio of running backs had put up impressive yards per carry averages through ten games. The leading ground gainer is big, fast senior Taurian Nash (5-10. 210, 444 yards (10.3 avg.), 9 TDs)). Senior Eli Bray (5-10, 175) had rushed for 391 yards (7.2 ypc) and four touchdowns. Diminutive, but quick senior Archer C'de Baca (5-8, 145) had amassed 368 yards on the ground (6.7 ypc) and six TDs.
Crean Lutheran's leading receiver is junior Dillon Booth (5-10, 170, 482 yards (9.6 avg.). Drew Deese (6-3, 180) had 412 receiving yards with an 11.4 yards per reception average.
The Saints' offense runs behind a big, physical, fundamentally sound group of linemen.
Crean Lutheran's defense is disciplined and stout. Big line monster Tyler Parker (6-0, 295) wreaks havoc up front on a consistent basis.
Senior middle linebacker Carter Jones (6-1, 220) led the stop unit after 10 games with 98 tackles, including 56 solos. Junior free safety Javari Nash (6-1,180) had 70 tackles with 46 solo takedowns going into the Millikan game.
Junior defensive end Anthony Jones (6-4, 245) led the defense in sacks (5) and hurries (12) through ten contests.
Senior DB Ben Byszowski (5-11, 175) led the Saints through 10 games with five interceptions.
Crean Lutheran's kicking game is very good.
QUARTERFINAL GAME OUTLOOK
Crean Lutheran is ranked 24th in the Southern Section by CalPreps with a 25.6 Strength of Schedule rating.
The Cubs are ranked 33rd in the Southern Section and have a 39.4 Strength of Schedule rating.
The teams have no common opponents.
The Saints play fundamentally sound, disciplined football. Loyola will need to match-and exceed-them in those categories.
Keys to the game for the Cubs will be having success running the ball and limiting Crean Lutheran's rushing attack.
Loyola will need to start fast and stay fast. If it does so, the Cubs will have a good chance to move on to the semifinals. They need to treat this as a championship bout and play the game accordingly.
This is the first meeting between the schools in football. Crean Lutheran, located in Irvine, was founded in 2007.
THE CUBS NEED FANS IN THE STANDS
IT'PLAYOFF TIME !!!!
Please encourage your friends and Loyola supporters to attend the quarterfinal playoff game at Loyola's Smith Field this Friday. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at GoFan.co.
THE CUBS NEED FANS IN THE STANDS!
2024 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
8-23 @ Cathedral (L, 16-13, 2OT)
8-30 Damien (L, 30-29)
9-13 @ Leuzinger (L, 40-30)
9-20 @ St. Francis (W, 35-7)
9-27 @ Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, San Diego) (W, 46-38)
10-4 Serra (Home)* (L, 42-35)
10-11 @ Bishop Amat* (W, 24-17)
10-18 Chaminade (Home)* (W, 44-10)
10-25 @ Sierra Canyon* (L, 45-0)
11-1 Notre Dame (Home)* (L, 35-34)
CIF SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION 3 PLAYOFFS
11-8 @ Tustin (CIF Division-3 Playoffs first round) (W, 30-13)
11-15 Crean Lutheran (CIF Division 3 Playoffs quarterfinals)
CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Below is the list of Loyola graduates playing college football in 2024 according to published collegiate rosters:
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K, Mississippi State
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin
JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal
LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, OL, Grinnel
SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia
LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB, Angelo State
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20, DB, Carleton
TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton
JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC
ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia
HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU
JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB, UCLA
RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth
ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame
CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska
SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA
LOYOLA GRADS IN THE NFL
MYLES BRYANT '16, corner, Houston Texans
ALEX JOHNSON '19, corner, New York Giants (practice squad)
DAVID LONG, JR., corner, Indianapolis Colts (practice squad)
COLEMAN SHELTON '13, center, Chicago Bears