TAREK FATTAL, SBLIVE SPORTS
SEP 30, 2023 1:32 AM EDT
 
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CALIFORNIA — The game was labeled the 'Mission League Bowl'.

La Cañada St. Francis and Loyola — the two best teams in the Angelus League — were playing for a lot more than victory. An inside track for the league title was up for grabs, which meant a likelihood of moving up to the Mission League in 2024.

John Calmette scored three rushing touchdowns to lead St. Francis to a 26-21 win over Loyola Friday night, which means the Golden Knights could move up to the Mission League and have to face programs like Sierra Canyon and Gardena Serra next fall.

"We can compete with Chaminade, Notre Dame, Bishop Amat and some of those other teams, but it's doing it every week that becomes challenging," St. Francis coach Dean Herrington said.

To be part of the Mission League sounds great, but to play in it takes a different operation from a football standpoint, especially with programs like Sierra Canyon and Gardena Serra in the league.

The Mission, Angelus and Del Rey Leagues are all connected. The Mission being the top league, the Angelus being in the middle and the Del Rey being third. Every two seasons, the leagues realign. In 2024, Alemany will drop from the Mission to the Angelus, Crespi will drop from the Angelus to the Del Rey, and St. Pius will move from the Del Rey to the Angelus next fall — most likely.

If Loyola (1-5) and St. Francis (5-1) end up with the same league record at the end of the regular season and share the league title, Loyola will be promoted to the Mission League due to larger enrollment. Loyola - an all-boys school - has an enrollment of 1,200 students while St. Francis sits around 620.

Loyola junior QB Thomas Knyal threw three touchdown passes, two to junior Duke Giarraputo.