Loyola Holds On for Special Victory, 23-22

In a special game, filled with special players, it was only fitting that it would come down to a play on special teams.

And when Newhall Hart High, ranked No. 7 in the state, botched a field-goal attempt because of a bad snap with 15 seconds remaining, Loyola, ranked No. 8, was able to come away with a 23-22 nonleague victory over the Indians Saturday night at Glendale High.

After Loyola running back John Grady bulled his way through the Hart defense for a five-yard touchdown and quarterback Chris Peterson ran in the ensuing two-point coversion to give Loyola a 23-22 lead, Hart started a drive at its own 28 with 1:45 left.

Kyle Boller, Hart’s quarterback, twice completed passes on fourth down during the drive, one to Jared Bazar for 19 yards with 1:09 remaining and another to Jerry Owens for 22 yards to the Loyola seven-yard line with 22 seconds left.

Hart (3-2) tried two more passes. One fell incomplete and the other gave the Hart four yards on a pass interference call.

With 15 seconds left, Hart tried a 20-yard field-goal attempt, but the snap sailed high and Loyola’s J.J. Nese recovered to seal the victory.

Earlier, Hart kicker Kirk Bardin had missed a 23-yard field goal wide right and two Hart extra-point kicks failed.

“Special teams killed us,” Hart Coach Mike Herrington said. “They beat teams right and left with special teams and the last few times we’ve played right with them but not tonight.”

Hart took a 3-0 lead on a field goal by Bardin just before intermission, but what appeared dull game quickly had the estimated 3,000 fans on their feet.

“Football games don’t get much better than this,” said Grady, who rushed for 130 yards in 24 carries. “We knew it was gonna be a battle. Both teams wanted it.”

Boller finished with 359 yards and two touchdowns on 22 of 41 passes.