Column: Loyola ends 10-game league losing streak with 31-13 win over Chaminade

From the NFL to college to high school football, everyone has been put on notice that officials aren’t going to tolerate hits in the vicinity of the head no matter how long they have been considered part of football lore.

Diamond Harrell of West Hills Chaminade had his teammates and fans cheering early in the second quarter Friday night after he met Los Angeles Loyola running back Drake Beasley head-on, dropping him for a one-yard loss and sending Beasley’s helmet flying. It was on third down and seemed to turn the momentum momentarily to Chaminade.

Then a yellow flag was thrown. In the era of concussions and safety concerns, what Harrell did was ruled a 15-yard personal foul. Loyola picked up a first down, and Beasley soon scored on a nine-yard touchdown run to turn a seven-point lead into a two-touchdown cushion en route to a 31-13 Mission League victory for the Cubs.

“That was a perfect form tackle,” Chaminade Coach Ed Croson said. “The fact his helmet came off influenced the play. It changed everything.”

Harrell insisted, “My helmet was in his chest. If it was helmet to helmet, I would have felt it.”

Said Beasley: “I just got hit under my helmet. I don’t think he was trying to hit me.”

Loyola Coach Marvin Sanders had a good view of the play.

“Their job is to protect the player,” he said of the officials. “Anything close, they’re calling it. Sometimes I get frustrated, but you have to protect the player.”

The play helped Loyola emerge with a 24-7 halftime lead, and the Cubs (5-1, 1-1) were never threatened in ending a 10-game league losing streak.

“It was a great birthday present,” said Sanders, who turned 48. “We’re trying to build a program. The kids are believing.”

Loyola has lots of outstanding athletes. Beasley, a junior running back who received a scholarship offer from UCLA on Thursday, had 123 yards rushing. Junior quarterback Sean O’Malley completed 14 of 19 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns.

Myles Bryant caught eight passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Kelly Blake had a 58-yard touchdown reception.

In perhaps the strangest play of the night, Loyola’s Jack Hock returned a punt for a touchdown after Chaminade’s punter kicked the ball off a teammate.

Loyola’s victory keeps it very much alive in the Pac-5 playoff hunt. Beasley will be a key figure.

“Drake is a talented kid,” Sanders said. “He’s so coachable and any little nuances we change, it becomes automatic. He’s a natural running back and has the ability to make you miss and the ability to run by you and run over you.”

Chaminade (3-2, 0-1) also has a top running back in sophomore T.J. Pledger, who gained 162 yards in 15 carries and had a 73-yard run that was simply spectacular.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATSondheimer