Column: Cathedral and Loyola go head to head — over who has the best view of downtown
Cathedral and Loyola play for first time since 1973.
Let the debate begin: Which high school has the best vantage point of downtown Los Angeles at night?
The finalists are L.A. Cathedral and L.A. Loyola, and for the first time since 1973, the two all-boys Catholic schools will play in a nonleague football game on Friday night at Loyola. The principals can’t wait to offer their opinions of L.A.’s downtown skyscrapers.
From Frank Kozakowski, principal of Loyola: “A little bit of heaven fell from the sky one day (with apologies to all the Irish) and landed at 1901 Venice Blvd. It is rumored that you can see all the way back to heaven when you stand in the end zone and look east at sundown. There is no greater place on earth than Cubville.”
From Brother John Montgomery, principal of Cathedral: “Cathedral has the best view of the downtown L.A. skyline because it comes with the benefit of knowing you’re standing on holy ground from actual Phantoms.”
Cathedral, located below Chavez Ravine and Dodger Stadium, is built on the original site of the Old Calvary Cemetery. Loyola, which moved to its current site in 1917, is across the street from another cemetery, Angelus Rosedale. So beware of phantoms hovering nearby.
Loyola (1-2) is usually the better team, having been a longtime Division 1 school. This season, though, advantage belongs to Cathedral (3-0), a Division 3 team that finally decided it wanted to play the Cubs. The two schools have powerhouse soccer programs that alumni hope will meet (it happens in tournaments), but for now, they’ll have to be satisfied with the football programs resuming a series that began in 1927. Loyola has a 30-11-1 advantage.
“I’m excited because we’ve been trying to get to their level,” Cathedral Coach Kevin Pearson said. “If we want to win a state championship, we have to play teams like Loyola.”
Loyola still is trying to recover from the preseason decision of perhaps its best player, running back Drake Beasley, deciding to transfer to La Cañada. Just last week, the Southern Section ruled Beasley ineligible to play for the Spartans. He’s appealing. Meanwhile, Loyola searches for a replacement.
Cathedral has no such issues on offense. Senior quarterback Andrew Tovar and freshman quarterback Bryce Young are taking turns running an effective passing attack that has helped the Phantoms gain a No. 2 ranking in the Division 3 coaches’ poll. Receiver Jamire Calvin has caught five touchdown passes.
So bring your cameras to capture the skyline view from Loyola so you can compare it next year with Cathedral’s view.
Early scouting report
The game of the year could be Santa Ana Mater Dei taking on Bellflower St. John Bosco on Oct. 21 at Cerritos College, and the coach who has played both teams this season, La Mirada’s Mike Moschetti, isn’t ready to pick one over the other.
La Mirada lost to St. John Bosco, 34-0, and lost to Mater Dei, 48-0.
On Mater Dei and quarterback J.T. Daniels, Moschetti said, “They’re an absolute machine. I’ve never seen a high school quarterback with the poise he has.”
On St. John Bosco: “I thought Bosco was more physical defensively. Bosco beats you in a different way.”
As for who’s better, Moschetti said, “I can’t say. It will be a heck of a game.”
Twitter: @latsondheimer
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