For Loara, It’s No. 2 and Counting

It’s a scene not seen at a Loara football game last year.

After the Saxons (2-0) had beaten Anaheim, 28-7, Friday night at Glover Stadium, James Kim ran on the field, jumped up and down, raised his index and middle fingers and yelled, “That’s two! That’s two!”

Two victories doesn’t make a season, but it certainly is a good start for Kim and his Saxon teammates, who were 0-10 last season.

Strong defense and special teams play made Loara too much to handle for Anaheim.

Charles Loffler blocked a punt by Anaheim’s Joel Vasquez in the first quarter, setting up Denis Dawson’s one-yard touchdown run with 55 seconds left in the first quarter. Tony Norris added the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

It was Dawson’s only highlight, as the senior running back went out with a bad ankle in the second quarter. Dawson, who rushed for 211 yards last week, finished with 12 yards in five carries.

“Coming into the game,” said Loara’s coach, John de Fries, “(Dawson) had a tender ankle. We tried to let him go.”

Loara increased its lead to 14-0 when Jim Kirkland hit Floyd Talley for a 46-yard touchdown pass.

In the third quarter, Loffler was in on another big play by the Saxons’ special teams. Loffler and Vincent Pla blocked a Vasquez punt, and Mike Boomsma returned it to the Anaheim one-yard line. Boomsma fumbled, but teammate Tim Vince recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Boomsma scored Loara’s final touchdown when he caught a 31-yard pass from Kirkland. The touchdown was setup when Loffler deflected a pass and was intercepted by Brandon Hellerud.

Anaheim (1-1) avoided a shutout when Jaime Carlos passed 16-yards to Omar Pacheco. Reuben Droughns paced Anaheim in rushing with 159 yards in 33 carries.

After the game, de Fries said: “It’s nice to be 2-0, but we still have an uphill climb.”

The top seems to be getting closer, though.