Long Beach Poly has a history of athletic championships, and the Jackrabbits’ softball team added their name to that list this year. With a 6-2 win over Warren, Long Beach Poly softball won their first ever CIF title in program history. This historic championship takes the No. 3 spot in our Top 10 High School Sports Moments of the Year.
Since CIF’s founding in 1914, the Jackrabbits have now won 134 titles. This was also their fourth CIF championship of the 2024-2025 school year.
Long Beach Poly wasted no time getting on the board in the championship game. After leadoff hitter Persja Lam Sam was walked and moved over to second on a groundball, junior Ki’ele Ho-Ching smacked an offspeed pitch to right center field for an RBI double to score P. Lam Sam.
The Jackrabbits stayed hot, as this rally repeated itself in the bottom of the third inning.
Persja Lam Sam led off with a single to center field and was again moved over to second on another groundball from Emoni Lam Sam. On her second pitch, Ho-Ching hit a high fly ball over the right fielder’s head to bring P. Lam Sam around with a triple. When Warren fumbled on the relay, Ho-Ching didn’t hesitate to take the final 60 for an inside-the-park home run.
Senior Kween Tauala followed Ho-Ching’s big hit with a double to right center. She was brought around on an RBI single to left field by Sunni Vaafuti. After three innings, the Jackrabbits were up 4-0.
Tauala came up again for Long Beach Poly in the next inning and hit a 2RBI double down the left field line to increase the Jackrabbits’ lead 6-0.
“These girls don’t know how to lose. They don’t know how to give up,” Head coach Elizabeth Sanches said. “When you’re fighting for so much more than just a win, it makes a difference. We’re a family, and we’re fighting for an entire community. We have our entire city lifting us up.”
