Loyola’s Passing Backfires : Prep football: No. 1 Bishop Amat turns two interceptions into touchdowns for 28-14 victory.

Loyola High’s new-found passing attack helped lead to its downfall Saturday night in a 28-14 loss to La Puente Bishop Amat.

Before an overflow crowd of 11,000 at Glendale High, quarterback Clelio Boccato threw three interceptions as the Cubs (8-1) suffered their first defeat.

Bishop Amat, ranked No. 1 by The Times, turned two of those interceptions into touchdowns to break open a close game.

The Lancers (9-0) clinched the Del Rey League title. Barring a loss to Mission Hills Alemany next week in the regular-season finale, they should be top-seeded in the Southern Section’s Division I playoffs.

Although third-ranked Loyola has one of the section’s best records since Steve Grady took over as coach in 1976, its problems against Bishop Amat continue. Grady is 1-8 against the Lancers.

“Don’t talk about our great record against Loyola,” said Mark Parades, Bishop Amat’s coach for the past seven seasons. “Records don’t mean a thing. This was a great football game, and it could have gone either way. Loyola really started strong tonight and had us worried.”

Boccato, a senior, has improved his passing the past two seasons and Grady gave him an opportunity to showcase it.

Boccato completed 17 of 30 passes for 221 yards, but he was frustrated by the Lancers’ zone defense. He also was sacked five times.

His first interception allowed Bishop Amat to tie the game, 7-7. At his 44-yard line, Boccato threw a pass down the left sideline, but the intended receiver was no where to be found. Instead, it went right into the hands of Paul Shay.

Two plays later, running back Rodney Sermons, who finished the game with 76 yards, broke loose on a 59-yard touchdown run.

The Lancers, who defeated Loyola, 22-16, last season, took the lead for good early in the third quarter when Sermons capped an 80-yard drive with a one-yard run.

On Loyola’s next possession, Matt Verdi intercepted Boccato’s pass at his 20 and returned the ball to the Cub 44. Four plays later, Mike Smith threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Daylon McCutcheon to give Bishop Amat a 21-7 lead.

The Lancers put the game away early in the fourth quarter on a 51-yard run by junior Jason Harris.

Smith, who completed two of six passes for 10 yards and an interception in the first half, completed all four of his passes in the second half.

“The difference was that everyone started blocking,” Smith said. “We wanted this game bad and made the necessary adjustments at halftime. We were certainly a different team.”