Football: Loyola speculation grows
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The speculation is growing about possible candidates for the vacant Loyola High football coaching position.
The last time the job opened, Mike Christensen was chosen over former Lakewood Coach Thadd MacNeal. Christensen’s son was attending Loyola, and the Cubs like ties to their school. MacNeal, now the coach at Carlsbad, is unlikely to re-apply.
One name surfacing is former Loyola standout Drew Casani, who has been a scout for the St. Louis Rams and is a former Loyola assistant coach. He never became a serious candidate for the job in 2009. Lots of Loyola alumni would be thrilled if Casani put his name up for consideration.
Crespi Coach Jon Mack has Loyola ties, being a former assistant. St. Monica Coach Adam Guerra was the interim coach at Loyola when Jeff Kearin left. He now has head coach experience.
Other names being mentioned are former UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel, whose sons have attended Loyola, and former NFL assistant Greg Robinson, who once attended Loyola and served as a volunteer assistant last season at St. Francis.
The job will be challenging, because the Serra League has become so balanced and with Oaks Christian expected to join the league in 2014 and possibly Gardena Serra or Chaminade, it’s only going to get tougher.
-- Eric Sondheimer