Cub Football - Toughest Loyola football players of all time
Who are the toughest Loyola football players of all time?
That conversation has to start with 1990 CIF Southern Section Division I Defensive Player-of-the-Year DREW CASANI, who played nearly three quarters of the 1990 CIF Div. I championship game at middle linebacker with a broken leg. Casani's tough-as-nails, inspirational performance helped lead the Cubs to their fourth CIF Large Schools title. It has to rank as the guttiest effort of all-time. Casani brought the wood on every play of his legendary Loyola football career.
It is hard to forget the 1997 performance of sophomore defensive back TAYLOR WILLIAMS '00, the grandson of former Loyola great GEORGE CALLANAN '42, who played nearly the entire game against Gardena Serra (won by Loyola, 22-8) with a broken arm.
That conversation has to start with 1990 CIF Southern Section Division I Defensive Player-of-the-Year DREW CASANI, who played nearly three quarters of the 1990 CIF Div. I championship game at middle linebacker with a broken leg. Casani's tough-as-nails, inspirational performance helped lead the Cubs to their fourth CIF Large Schools title. It has to rank as the guttiest effort of all-time. Casani brought the wood on every play of his legendary Loyola football career.
It is hard to forget the 1997 performance of sophomore defensive back TAYLOR WILLIAMS '00, the grandson of former Loyola great GEORGE CALLANAN '42, who played nearly the entire game against Gardena Serra (won by Loyola, 22-8) with a broken arm.
Toughness is not only defined by playing through immense pain, though.
There have been many difference makers for the Cubs who possessed uncommon physical and mental toughness and played with ferocious physicality. Linebackers JIM McANANY '83 and and KEVEN DELL'AMICO '90 have to be considered for their consistently bone jarring hits.
ANTOINE HARRIS '97, the CIF Div. I Defensive Player-of-the-Year, was a terror at defensive end on Loyola's 1995 and 1996 CIF Div. I finalist teams.
The FOUTS twins, JOHN and MARTIN '82, were known throughout the CIF Southern Section for their otherworldly physical play on the defensive line.
ANDREW ALTMAN's shotgun blast hit on L.B. Poly's Herman Ho-Ching in the 1997 CIF DIv. I playoff semifinals is legendary in Cub Football lore.
Who do you think the toughest players to ever don Cub Blue were?
Continue the conversation at the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard Cocktail Reception and Dinner Meeting on March 28. The Vanguard exists to not only revere the past, but also to support the present and champion the future.
Please reserve a seat and spread the word.
The RSVP link is below:
https://loyolahs.formstack.com/forms/gridironvanguardmeeting2017
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