"We put a target on their back."

No, that title was not clickbait.

These guys are for real, and that’s a real quote from Loyola LA (CA) Head Coach, Marquise Goodwin.

Loyola may only be in their 3rd year of the program, but they have lofty aspirations and an edgy attitude that can be dangerous on the pitch. Dangerous in a good way I mean. They’re self-described underdogs and they want to take down the most prolific teams in California, starting with Torrey Pines this upcoming Monday, January 20th.

Oh, by the way—they’ve never actually played Torrey Pines.

Here’s the backstory:

Loyola began their program 2 years ago with the simple ambition of being the best HS boys rugby team in the state, and that starts with taking down the current best team in the state. Torrey Pines fits the bill. As Coach Goodwin noted, Torrey Pines represents not only one of the most successful HS teams in California, but one of the best overall programs in the USA, boasting high-profile college commits each year and also supplying the National team — The Eagles — with several players over the years.

So it’s pretty simple really: Beat the best to be the best.

“As a new team - you always want to match yourself against the best of the best. If we’re doing everything right, then we should be able to compete with the top, and the top is Torrey Pines.” - Coach Goodwin

Last year, Loyola — impressively — went undefeated in the regular season and were looking forward to getting their first shot at Torrey Pines in the state playoffs. But to their surprise, when the playoff bracket was published, they were given the 4th seed (despite an undefeated record), a move that didn’t go unnoticed by the Loyola faithful: was there some monkey-business going on with that bracket?? 

This meant they would not play Torrey Pines until the final, which unfortunately they did not make it to last year. So a match with Torrey Pines would have to wait — until this Monday.

Oh, and if you think this is a lot of excitable talk by Coach Goodwin just to get his team fired up, consider this 👇

… I think he’s serious, folks.

SCIRF is the competing league in Southern California (SCYR), and if you’ve followed Alex Goff over the years then you should know that SCYR and SCIRF have had a big beef going for quite some time. Coaches and schools don’t make this choice lightly — so the fact that Loyola remained in the SCYR league solely to play against Torrey Pines is telling. They REALLY want to beat them!

But there’s more to this team besides big rugby goals.

An intense brotherhood defines the Loyola team, and they’ve recently shown it in a powerful way. Coach Goodwin revealed that seven players and one of his assistant coaches lost their homes to the devastating fires in LA. In response, the team rallied together—opening their homes to displaced teammates and keeping spirits high. This unwavering camaraderie and support for one another are qualities that shine both on and off the rugby pitch. And that’s a major reason Loyola is a team to watch — these kids have heart.

Big Questions:

• Will Loyola put the league on notice with a team-defining game on Monday?

• How will Loyola handle Torrey Pines’ collection of top shelf talent?

• Will this become a new rivalry? 👀

Loyola Players to Watch:

📋 Cassius Grimes | 8-Man

A no-nonsense 8-man who quietly goes about his business, crushing people on the regular with a high work rate.

Coach’s quote: “He’s the brick wall that you’re going to run into on the field.”

📋 Sami Park | Inside-Center

A fearless tackler and defender — he has no problem tackling opponents twice his size.

Coach’s quote: “It takes a certain personality to go after the biggest kids on the field and be effective consistently. That’s Sammy.”

📋 Jack Simic | Prop

A leader on the field — he has a sharp wit and a great physical skillset.

Coach’s quote: “He’s got that jokester personality combined with a great work ethic.”

📋 Ronan O’Rourke | Fly-Half

The General. He leads by example, makes hard hits and runs like rhino with the ball in hand.

Coach’s quote: “He’s the ignition, the spark that fires the team up.”

Our Take: Don’t bet against Loyola this season. They may be a young program, but they have a strong head coach and a belief in themselves that they can take down Goliath.

We anticipate a heavy hitting, high octane game this Monday evening against Torrey Pines.