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Cabrillo Football

PREVIEW: Cabrillo at Compton Early College, Football

The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.

The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.

The regular season for high school football concludes on Friday night, and the Cabrillo Jaguars will be on the road, facing Compton Early College at 7 p.m. in a game hosted at Compton College.

Cabrillo (3-6, 1-2) will look to end the year on a high note, seeking the program’s first four-win season in a decade. The Jags have taken a step forward this season under head coach Malcolm Manuel, benefitting from inclusion in the new Hub City League, but also playing a higher quality of football.

The Jags have a solid group of returning skill players to build with next season, and they’ve got a chance to end 2026 on a high note. After winning three out of four games, the Jags have suffered consecutive defeats against Compton and Dominguez the last two weeks.

This week presents a great opportunity to get the offense back on track, going against a CEC (2-7, 0-3) team that’s allowed over 31 points per game this season, including an average of over 51 points per game to Hub City League opponents.

The Rising Phoenix are coming off their bye week, but it’s been a struggle so far in league play. CEC has yet to score against league opposition, outscored by a total of 154-0.

While Compton Early College seeks its first league victory, Cabrillo still has an outside shot at a playoff spot. If the Jags win, and Compton Centennial can pull the upset over Dominguez, that would force a three-way tie for second place and the automatic playoff bid that comes with it.

Tyler Hendrickson
Tyler Hendrickson was born and raised in Long Beach, and started covering sports in his hometown in 2010. After five years as a sportswriter, Tyler joined the athletic department at Long Beach State University in 2015. He spent more than four years in the athletic communications department, working primarily with the Dirtbags baseball program. Tyler also co-authored of The History of Long Beach Poly: Scholars & Champions.
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