Defense Stays Nasty for Loara

Loara High School may be inconsistent when it comes to moving the football. And there are times when the Saxons appear to be stumbling over themselves on offense.

But with a defense that’s as nasty as it wants to be, the Saxons seem to be able to overcome their mistakes.

Loara overcame many mistakes Thursday night--penalties, dropped passes, poor special teams work--but it didn’t seem to matter. The defense made sure of it, stopping Katella at every opportunity for a 14-7 Empire League victory at Glover Stadium.

The Saxons (4-4, 2-1 in the league) gave up 89 total yards and didn’t allow the Knights’ offense to score.

Katella (2-6, 1-2) was unable to move the ball on the ground, gaining only 11 yards. Throwing the ball wasn’t any easier, as the Saxon defense sacked quarterback Chris Reed seven times for losses totaling 68 yards.

Defensive end Chris Yi had two of the sacks and was a constant figure in the Knights’ backfield throughout the game.

Reed, battered and limping from a knee injury, did manage to rally the Knights for one last try late in the fourth quarter. After T.J. Fletcher blocked a Loara field-goal attempt, Reed drove Katella from its 20 to the Loara 39.

But on fourth and six, the Knights’ last gasp ended, fittingly, with Reed being sacked by Josh Runner.

“We made the big plays on defense when we needed them,” Loara Coach John DeFries said. “It’s been that way all season. Our defense plays great.”

The same can’t be said about the Saxons’ offense.

Loara moved the ball well at times, especially on the ground. The Saxons had 191 total yards, including 144 rushing.

They had a seven-yard touchdown run by Shawn Easter in the second quarter and an 11-yard touchdown pass from Charles Gipson to David Kang in the third quarter.

However, that was the extent of the Saxons’ offensive consistency.

The Saxons had 85 yards in penalties in the first half, including a holding call that nullified a 33-yard touchdown pass from Gipson to Luigi Gagow.

Loara had only one penalty in the second half, but committed other mental mistakes.

Mister Albritton, Jamal Barcindebar and John Karrer all dropped possible touchdown passes.

“If we could catch the ball, we’d be dangerous,” DeFries said.

The Saxon special teams also made their share of mistakes. Besides blocking the field-goal attempt, Katella also had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown by Art Vance.