Four players who helped change Loyola’s season

After a very uncharacteristic start that saw them go 2-5-2 in its first nine matches, and 3-6-2 in its first 11, the Loyola (Calif.) boys soccer team has turned it around at the exact right time. The Cubs are undefeated in their last 10 matches, winning eight of them, and with a 2-0 win over Chaminade on Friday, Feb. 4, they won the Mission League for the 13th time in 14 years and won their 22nd league title in the last 27 years. One of the wins in the 10-match unbeaten streak was a 1-0 win over Harvard-Westlake, which had beat Loyola earlier in the season. It’s been an entire team effort in helping Loyola transform back into a CIF Southern Section and SoCal title contender, but four players specifically have stood out. [caption id="attachment_38852" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-38852" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/02/marco-300x262.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="262" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="8204" first="Marco" last="Bottene"].</strong> Photo: Eric Hamilton[/caption]<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="8204" first="Marco" last="Bottene"], Sophomore, Midfielder</strong> Bottene leads the Cubs in goals scored and has great instincts on where to be to score goals, despite only being a sophomore. Bottene is smart and immensely talented, physically as well. He started the last half of the season for the Cubs last season as a freshman. <strong>Zach Driscoll, Senior, Keeper</strong> Driscoll is now a three-year starter for the Cubs and has improved each year. He shows a remarkable command of his box and has been able to keep Loyola in matches with his ability to organize the defense and make stops between the posts. <strong>Joe Padden, Senior, Central Defender</strong> Padden is in his second year as a starter for the Cubs, a captain, and is the backbone of the defense and the vocal leader on the pitch. He is a commanding defender both physically and verbally but always does the latter in a positive way. He has been a leader for the team and shows by example by working very hard. [caption id="attachment_38853" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-38853" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/02/alejandro-300x297.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="297" /> <strong>Alejandro Sanchez.</strong> Photo: Eric Hamilton[/caption] <strong>Alejandro Sanchez, Senior, Forward</strong> Sanchez could be listed as a midfielder, defender, or forward for the Cubs. He is very versatile and dynamic. His ability to play anywhere helped the team when they were going through a rash of injuries and COVID absences early in the season. In the last half of the season, he’s been playing at the forward spot and the senior captain has been providing a physical presence up top. He is a strong leader who keeps a positive attitude and has an incredible work rate.