Cub Football - The winner of Friday's tilt will notch first victory of the season
LOYOLA WILL TRAVEL UP THE HILL TO TAKE ON LONG TIME RIVAL ST. FRANCIS ON FRIDAY
Loyola's non-league contest against long time rival St. Francis (0-4) in La Canada-Flintridge this Friday does not carry the excited anticipation as so many of the classic battles between the schools did dating back 56 years, as the programs currently have 0-4 and 0-3 records. Despite both teams being winless thus far, the competition on the field Friday night nonetheless will be intense. The ferocity of the rivalry simply supersedes the squads' respective records.
One thing is guaranteed - the winner of the contest will have notched its first victory of the 2024 campaign.
A LOOK AT ST. FRANCIS
Coach Dean Herrington's Golden Knights were dealt a huge blow when talented All-Angelus League senior quarterback John Sanders suffered an injury in the first game of the season.
While Sanders' younger brother, Shawn, has performed admirably behind center, the 5-11 sophomore quarterback is still perfecting his craft on the job.
Making matters more challenging is a run game that has been struggling to find solid footing. Sanders is St. Francis's leading rusher, but he only had 92 yards (5.4 ypc) heading into last Friday's game against Muir.
Sophomore wide receiver Mason Maddox (6-2, 180, 13.7 yards per reception) may be the best athlete on the team, and diminutive, but quick sophomore receiver Deveon Blaylock (5-7, 140) makes downfield plays.
The defensive tackle leaders are senior linebackers Julian Navarro (6-0, 190) and Luke Cullen (5-10, 180) and senior defensive lineman Thomas Deluccia (6-1, 185). Maddox is a ball hawking safety
In four games the Golden Knights have been outscored 137-65 (St. Bonaventure 38-7, Mira Costa 35-6, Notre Dame 36-34, Muir 28-18).
St. Francis played its best game in a two-point, 36-34, loss to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame of the Mission League two weeks ago. Last Friday the Golden Knights led Pasadena Muir 18-13 going into the fourth quarter before being outscored 15-0 in the final stanza.
GAME OUTLOOK
The CalPreps computer projection has the Cubs winning 31-7, but this a rivalry game in which the home team can be expected to play with fire in its eyes. So throw out the computer prediction.
The key for the Cubs will be getting its rushing attack untracked after being shut down by Leuzinger last Friday.
If Loyola is successful in making the Golden Knights' offense one dimensional (St. Francis rushed for only 55 yards against St. Bonaventure and six yards in the Mira Costa game), the Cubs should be in good shape to come away with a victory. Loyola, though, should be ultra alert for the unexpected on both sides of the ball and on special teams.
THE SERIES
The first game between the rivals was in 1968 when both teams were members of the newly established Del Rey League. St. Francis came away with a 13-6 victory.
The schools remained members of the Del Rey League until 1989. They were reunited in the Angelus League in 2020. Last season the Golden Knights pulled out a 26-21 win in La Canada. The programs tied for the 2023 league title. St. Francis is still in the Angelus League while Loyola was elevated to the rugged Mission League this season.
The Cubs lead the series 20-9-1.
One of the more memorable games between the rivals was in 1977 at St. Francis. Both squads were highly ranked coming in.
After warming up in their regular white road attire, the Cubs took the field wearing Pittsburgh Steeler uniforms. Before a standing-room-only throng, Loyola played dominating 'Steel Curtain' defense in a 7-0 triumph. The Big Blue completed shut down highly touted RB Henry Bell.
Executive producer Charles Maguire, the father of four former Cub football players, was one of the executive producers on the movie Heaven Can Wait, and therefore had access to the Steeler uniforms used in the production.
Here is a note received today from Dennis MAGUIRE '75 about the his brothers and dad, Loyola, the Steelers uniforms and his son who plays for Jesuit High of New Orleans. I asked him to tell us about all those things:
"CJ- '71 Played with Pat Breen & Tim Wheeler all 4 years.
Played Varsity Guard (Both ways). Starter.
Dennis- '75 Weakside Linebacker (All League 2nd Team)
John- '76 (Left Tackle (scored over John to beat St. Paul in the Coliseum for the CIF AAAA title and National championship in 1975 - All League))
Jimmy- '83 (Defensive Tackle- starter). He might have been all league too. Can't recall.
I took care of all the NFL Football Equipment on HEAVEN CAN WAIT. Yes, wardrobe would wash everything daily; but I had a 10 Ton truck full of all Ram & Chargers Football Equipment; separate from the film's wardrobe department.
My father wanted to make sure it was taken care of by someone that knew how to deal with the players and Equipment.
I actually took it upon myself to cut off the Shoulder pad flap for Warren Beatty's QB Shoulder pad to make it easier for him to throw.
PS-Warren actually took those hits in the film when the Ram's Offensive Linemen didn't block for him during the practice sequences. Yes, he wanted it to be real and brutal. There were multiple takes of it too. He was a HS Football player at one
My son, Jack Maguire, is a starting Sophomore Free Safety here at Jesuit HS New Orleans.
He caused a fumble last week and recovered it too. The other school at times ran the VEER OFFENSE. He tipped the QB option flick to the tailback and recovered.
It's his 2nd season playing VARSITY!!
Jack is 6'3". Multiple tackles playing Free Safety each week. A couple of broken up passes so far. Waiting for his first interception.
Think back to my teammate, Art Alvarado...
Part of me wishes he was playing at Loyola HS. But my father would be happy that he's at least at Jesuit HS NOLA.
Take care.
Dennis"
The most lopsided Loyola win in the series was a 49-0 shutout in 1989.
WHERE THE CUBS STAND
The Cubs let a very winnable game slip through their hands in the 16-13 season-opening double overtime loss to Cathedral. The Phantoms (4-0) are now undefeated and ranked among the Los Angeles Times' Southland Top 25. Cathedral just had an impressive 35-14 win over Chaminade of the Mission League.
Meanwhile state-ranked Damien, to whom Loyola lost, 30-29, in a down-to-the-wire thriller, was stunned by surging Mira Costa, 34-30, last Friday after blowing out St. Paul, 37-10, the previous week. St. Paul had beaten Bishop Amat of the Mission League before its one-sided loss to Damien.
The Cubs' 40-30 loss to Leuzinger last Friday was deflating. Loyola was unable to run the ball and could not stop the Olympians' rushing attack. While Leuzinger is under-rated, the defeat really carried no positives.
In two weeks the Cubs begin their trek through the Mission League gauntlet. Significant improvement will be necessary for Loyola (0-3) to compete successfully in its new conference.
EXTRA POINTS
Last weekend, two former Loyola stars played against each other in an NFL game. COLEMAN SHELTON '13 was the starting center for the Chicago Bears and MYLES BRYANT '16 played nickel back for the Houston Texans.
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
LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB, Angelo State
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20, DB, Carleton
TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton
RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC
ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia
HENRY STICKLER ‘21, 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
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
9-27 @ Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, San Diego)
10-4 Serra (Home)*
10-11 @ Bishop Amat*
10-18 Chaminade (Home)*
10-25 @ Sierra Canyon*
11-1 Notre Dame (Home)*
All games on Fridays @ 7:00 p.m.
*Denotes Mission League game