In Mater Dei, Loyola Faces a Big Challenge

The Loyola High football team, coaching staff included, concedes it will take a superhuman effort to defeat top-ranked and unbeaten Santa Ana Mater Dei tonight in the Southern Section Division I championship game at the Coliseum.

The Cubs (12-1) are making their second consecutive appearance and fourth in the last seven years in the Division I game. But they’ve never faced such an intimidating opponent.

Mater Dei (13-0) started the season as the Southland’s No. 1 team, and its only challenge came in a 20-15 victory against Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley in the regular-season finale. In the playoffs, the Monarchs have outscored their three opponents, 124-48.

“Everybody knows they play great football,” Loyola Coach Steve Grady said. “They’re very well-respected in the coaching ranks. I’m just happy we’re the ones who will have a chance to do some things against them.”

Grady, who has been coaching at Loyola since 1976 and won his only title in 1990, has not faced Mater Dei in a final. The schools briefly competed together in the now defunct Angelus League in 1990 and ’91. Their last meeting was in 1994, when Mater Dei prevailed in a quarterfinal game on its way to the title.

In the playoffs, Mater Dei quarterback Nick Stremick has passed for 709 yards and nine touchdowns, eight of which have gone to receiver Rod Perry Jr. When the passing game is off, Mike McNair and James Farley are capable and bruising running backs.

The defense, led by linebacker Kevin Mitchell, held opponents to 86 points during the regular season and gave up only two touchdowns last week in a 42-13 victory over an explosive Long Beach Poly team.

Loyola’s numbers aren’t as impressive, but Grady’s teams are known for being steady on offense and stingy on defense. The Cubs have won each of their three playoff games by three points, including a 16-13 double-overtime victory over Fontana last week.

In that game, senior Mike MacGillivray kicked field goals of 47 and 52 yards, as well as a 26-yarder in the second overtime.

MacGillivray, who is also averaging 43 yards a punt and has landed 90% of his kickoffs in or beyond the end zone, knows his foot could make the difference against Mater Dei.

“I’ve thought about going out at the end of the game and kicking the winning field goal,” MacGillivray said. “But I have to push those thoughts further to the back of my head and just concentrate on one kick at a time. Otherwise, I’m asking for trouble.”

Grady acknowledges special teams could make the difference in his team’s uphill battle.

“If Mike is on, that will really help with field position,” he said. “And he’s proven he can kick a field goal from almost any range.”

On offense, junior Stephen Faulk is the workhorse for Loyola. He has rushed for 945 yards and 15 touchdowns in 166 carries.

Defensively, Loyola has a turnover ratio of plus-12.

But in a game that is expected to draw 20,000 and will be televised live by Channel 13, statistics and tradition don’t mean much.

“Both teams better be prepared to deal with adversity because that will be the key,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said.

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Tonight’s Prep Football Finals

SOUTHERN SECTION (7:30)

* Division I: Mater Dei (13-0) vs. Loyola (12-1) at Coliseum.

* Division V: Newport Harbor (12-1) vs. Santa Margarita (12-1) at Orange Coast College.

* Division VII: Pacific (11-1-1) vs. Bloomington (12-1) at University of Redlands.

* Division IX: Mira Costa (10-3) at Atascadero (10-3).

* Division X: St. Bonaventure (11-1-1) at Nordhoff (12-0-1).

* Division XII: Arrowhead Christian (13-0) vs. Hesperia Christian (10-3) at Sultana High.