The562’s Poly and football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
Long Beach Poly football played their last game at historic Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday night, wrapping up 76 years of history. The game didn’t go off as the Jackrabbits hoped, as they were bullied and pushed around by Yorba Linda in a 30-13 loss.
First-year Poly coach Travon Patterson was coaching his first game at Vets and was hoping his team would look better on the field.
“We gotta sharpen it up,” he said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined and understand that it ain’t about talent, it’s about playing the game the right way. And when you do that, good things will happen for you.”
The first half belonged to the Mustangs as the Jackrabbits came out looking like they’d spent too much time celebrating their stadium. Yorba Linda received the opening kickoff and proceeded to drive 75 yards over nine minutes on a punishing run-heavy drive, which the Jackrabbits struggled to contain. The Mustangs punched it in on a two yard carry by Taj Lagraffe to take a 7-0 lead.
That was compounded by a brutal opening drive for Poly which saw them gain seven yards on three plays, then go for it in their own end on fourth down. QB Ace Seve was locked in on his target the whole time, and Yorba Linda’s linebacker Isaiah Trujillo read it, breaking on the ball, picking it off, and running it back 40 yards for a score that made it 14-0.
After a listless Poly drive, Yorba Linda went on another 81-yard, seven minute drive that saw them find paydirt on a run by Trujillo, which put the Mustangs up 21-0 midway through the second quarter.
That seemed to finally wake the Jackrabbits’ offense up, as they marched downfield behind a few nice passes from Seve to Jayden Coley and a fourth-down conversion that saw Seve hit Zion Anderson. They ended up scoring with just six seconds on the clock on a deflected pass to Coley. The Poly extra point went wide left, leaving them trailing 21-6 at halftime.
Poly’s biggest issue in the first half wasn’t just the Mustangs, it was their own penalties. Nine flags for 75 yards against Poly (to three for 25 yards by Yorba Linda) hampered the Jackrabbits, wiping an interception on defense and three first downs on offense off the board.
Despite the slow start and repeated mistakes (including penalties and delays getting special teams units on and off the field), Patterson said he didn’t think his team was overconfident after the season-opening win last week.
“I wouldn’t say that,” he said. “I think that Yorba Linda came out here and they did exactly what they were supposed to do, and we have to make sure that we make the adjustments to counter that.”
The second half was a frustrating one as well for Poly, as they opened up on a six-minute 90-yard drive that looked like it would end up in the end zone. Seven hit Coley for a touchdown but it was called back on a hold downfield–Poly ended up stalling out at the five-yard line and turning it over. Their defense stopped the Mustangs on their next drive but their offense couldn’t get anything going after that, paving the way for a Yorba Linda rushing touchdown that made it 27-6.
The Jackrabbits got a burst of life from an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Zion Anderson, which made it a two-score game. But after getting Yorba Linda into a third and 14 to start the next drive, they gave up a 25-yard run to QB Noah Trujillo that was a backbreaker.
The Jackrabbits were severely limited by 17 penalties for 145 yards, most of which were obvious procedural calls or holdings. That brings their two-weeke total this season to 27 penalties for 225 yards.
“We’ve got to get in the film room, watch our mistakes and correct it,” said Patterson.
Poly (1-1) will travel to Tustin next week while Yorba Linda (2-0) will host El Dorado.
