The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach in 2025-26 is sponsored by Watersafe Swim School.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The Long Beach Poly girls’ water polo team’s playoff run came to an end at LBCC in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 quarterfinals. The Jackrabbits played great defense but struggled to score against Beaumont, falling 8-4 to end their season at 13-19 overall.
“I just told them that we have to be really proud of ourselves,” said Poly coach Ali Landeros. “THey did amazing things this year, we went through so much adversity this season. We have a very young team, and I could not be prouder of them. It hurts to lose, but sometimes things don’t swing the way you wanted them too. At the end of the day we’re still a team, we’re still Long Beach, and we’re still family.”
The Jackrabbits fell behind 2-0 quickly in the first two minutes of the game, but goalie Lalli Flores saved three one on one opportunities to keep the Jackrabbits in it. Poly just couldn’t get in the groove offensively, with a turnover on a man-up opportunity late in the quarter. Star player Sequoia Newman was excluded twice early in the game, limiting her aggressiveness from that point on.
The Jackrabbits fell behind 3-0 after a penalty shot early in the second, but then began to answer back.
Lily Camerino had a steal and then an assist ahead to Pearl Taylor for Poly’s first goal, and then Taylor scored again to cut the lead to 4-2. Newman scored on a penalty to pull the Jackrabbits within one, and then Flores saved a penalty shot to keep it a one-goal game at the break.
In the third quarter the Jackrabbits drew even on a beautiful move inside to score by Newman, tying it at 4-4 three minutes into the second half.
Beaumont’s Colbie Puraci then had the play of the game, netting a shot from more than half the length of the pool away as the clock was winding down, giving Beaumont a one-goal lead they would never relinquish. The Cougars scored another three times, two more from distance as they found a way to circumvent the physicality of Flores and Camerino by raining shots in from afar.
“I thought our defense adjusted well early,” said Landeros. “They hit some crazy shots. There were a couple critical moments that they made big plays.”
The season on the whole was a success for the young Jackrabbits, who got to taste playoff success with a pair of postseason wins. They will move forward with Newman, however, whose praises Landeros was singing as fans and families were trailing out of the LBCC pool.
“She’s a player that comes around once in a lifetime as a coach,” he said. “She’s a leader as a scorer, as a defender, as an all around player. The girls rally around her. She’s going to go on to do great things–the best is yet to come for her.”
The Jackrabbits will return a significant portion of their young roster next season.
