Cade Bargar of South Torrance finds an opening and gets past Loara defenders Friday night. (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone)
It’s been 40 years since the Loara High football team has reached a CIF final.
Unfortunately for the Saxons, their dream of playing for a CIF championship will have to wait at least another year as Loara fell to South Torrance 30-7 in a CIF Division 14 semifinal game night at Glover Stadium.
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Spartans quarterback Drew Nash threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns as South Torrance dealt Loara (10-3) the season-ending loss.
“Their speed was too much for us and I’m sad our season is over,” said Saxons coach Mitch Olson. “But it was a great season. These guys battled all year. People thought we would win only five games and we ended up winning 10 games and going to the semifinals. I’m proud of these guys.”
The last time Loara was in a semifinal playoff game was 1979, the same year they won the CIF championship.
The Saxons started out well and moved the ball deep into Spartans territory on their first possession of the game, but missed getting on the scoreboard when a 35-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Midway through the first quarter, the Spartans struck first as Nash fired an 87-yard TD pass to Cade Bargar who displayed excellent speed as he outran the Saxons secondary for the touchdown to give South Torrance a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Spartans cornerback back Kade Jones picked off a pass at the Saxons 45-yard line. South Torrance moved quickly down field and Nash tossed a 25-yard TD pass to Jaxon Fish. However, South Torrance missed the PAT and led 13-0 with 1:13 remaining in the opening quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Loara’s defense stopped South Torrance on a fourth down run play at the Saxons 21.
Loara took advantage of the momentum swing and drove 75 yards in six plays, highlighted by a 35-yard pass play from quarterback Alex Islas to Sebastian McCullar. Islas capped the scoring drive with a 2-yard TD run at 6:39 mark of the quarter.
Islas had a strong game for the Saxons as he passed for over 100 yards and rushed for 138 yards a TD.
“We wanted it, but they wanted it more,” said Islas. “We made too many mistakes. I’m happy we got to the semifinals, but we didn’t play our best game and we didn’t take advantage of their mistakes.”
Despite Loara’s surge, the Spartans countered with an 80-yard, 10 play scoring march, to up its lead to 20-7. Nash threw his third TD pass of the first half, this one a 25-yard TD pass to Jones. The Spartans drive was kept alive by a 10-yard pass-play from Nash to Jones on a fourth down play to the Saxons 24. Two plays later, South Torrance scored.
Twice in the final two minutes of the half, Islas was intercepted, foiling Loara drives. The Spartans took advantage of an interception late in the first half and added a 21-yard field goal on the final play of the half to take a 23-7 lead at the break.
Nash completed 13 passes for 224 yards and 3 TDs in the first half and the Spartans (9-4) defense forced three Loara turnovers and held a 283-192 edge in offense in the opening half.
The Saxons came out fired up in the second half and drove deep into Spartans territory on its opening possession but missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.
On Loara’s ensuing drive, the Saxons consumed the final four minutes of the third quarter and first four minutes of the fourth quarter but came up short when Islas fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone with 7:45 to play.
The Spartans countered with a long touchdown drive to seal the victory and a trip to the finals.
“Nash’s work is a culmination of his three years as a starter,” said South Torrance coach Matt Mishler, whose team will make its first appearance in a CIF final since 2010. “He’s an excellent leader and he stepped up to the challenge and I think our having a comeback win last week spring boarded us tonight.”
Despite the setback Olson said it was a great season for Loara.
“It’s been a long time getting back to the semifinals,” said Olson. “Our run this year has been great for the community, the players and the school; they were all fired up.”
Saxons running back Nick Nguyen said it was a rewarding season but a tough ending.
“We came out slow in the first half and made mistakes but we kept pushing,” said Nguyen. “We worked hard all season and to get to the semifinals for the first time in 40 years says a lot about our character and our program.”
The Saxons, the co-champions of the Garden Grove League, defeated the California Military Institute and Sierra Vista in the first two rounds of the playoffs to reach the semifinals.
The Spartans finished third in the Pioneer League and scored two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of last week’s week quarterfinal game against Portola to reach Friday’s semifinal.
STATS
RUSHING: ST, Fish 6-28, Nash 8-46; L, Islas 21-138, Nguyen 10-35.
PASSING: ST, Nash. 21-29-0, 323 yards, 3 TDs; L, Islas 9-20-3, 116 yards.
RECEIVING: ST, Bargar 3-99, Jones 8-132; L, Vilante 4-38, Nguyen 2-42.
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-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
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