INGLEWOOD -- Last year, the Serra football team used a 28-point fourth quarter to disappointment into a thrilling win over Loyola.
Thursday, there wasn't any joyous ending for the Cavaliers, just frustration after another Mission League loss.
Jacob Kreinbring's 35-yard field goal in the third quarter proved to be winning score, leading Loyola (4-3, 1-1) to a 13-10 win over Serra (3-4, 0-2) at SoFi Stadium.
"I don't know if that sting (from last year's loss) will ever leave, being up big and losing," Loyola coach Drew Casani said. "This is an awesome win and seeing our guys keep battling and believing because we've had a hard time beating those guys and it looked like they were coming back and things were starting to fall apart for us, but they stayed in the game.
"Kept fighting, got the first downs when we needed to, defense played great all night."
The struggles for the Serra offense continued.
Serra failed to convert on three fourth-down plays in the second half, including a fourth-and-2 from the Loyola 39 in the fourth quarter, but DeVohn Moutra Jr. was stopped by the Loyola defense.
On the next possession, Serra again faced a fourth down, this time needed five yards from the Loyola 26, but Nicolas Johnson's pass fell incomplete.
Later in the fourth quarter, the offense had one final chance, taking possession with 3:33 left on its own 41. Facing a fourth-and-nine from the 41, quarterback Malik Tunai's scramble came up two yards short allowing Loyola to take over and run out the clock.
"We're not a very good team right now," Serra coach Scott Altenberg said. "Defensively we're great; offensively we're just not ...not going to win a lot of games. Defense does not give up a touchdown and you still lose the game.
"We've got to do better. The season is not over, so we have to figure out what we're going to do the rest of the way. We're just playing well enough."
Loyola opened the scoring on Kreinbring 42-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Serra appeared set to get into the end zone on its next possession.
Defensive lineman Khary Wilder, as he was on the basketball court, snatched the ball from the Loyola ball carrier and returned the ball down to the Loyola 7. However, the Serra offense never capitalized, eventually setting for a field goal attempt. The attempt never got toward the upright as Loyola's Kane Casani came through the line for the block and Malique Pollard recovered and returned it 60 yards. After the extra point, Loyola led 10-0.
In the second quarter, Serra found some life. Tunai’s punt was down at the 6. On the first play for Loyola, Moutra came up with a sack in the end zone for a safety. On the next possession, Tunai scored on a 2-yard run and converted the two-point conversion to send the game into halftime 10-10.
"We're just not playing well, making a lot of mistakes, just a lot of errors ...that's who we are right now," Altenberg said.
The road certainly isn't going to get easier for Serra. The Cavaliers have lost their first two games in league for the first time since 2019. They still have to face Chaminade, Notre Dame and Bishop Amat this season.
"We've got work to do," Altenberg said.
Both teams dropped their league opener last week. Serra lost to Sierra Canyon (30-0) and Loyola was defeated by Norte Dame (35-10).