After 70 years of playing at the historic Veterans Memorial Stadium, Long Beach Poly will kick off its last season at the iconic facility Friday night at 7pm against Leuzinger High. Vets will be torn down at the end of the season to make way for a new, more modern stadium (also sure to be Poly’s home)–but the Jackrabbits are hoping tonight is a first step of a new journey that will last more than a year.
Poly will play its first game under new coach Justin Utupo, who they lined up against on the opposite sideline for several years when Utupo was the head coach at Millikan, as well as his alma mater Lakewood. The Jackrabbits spent the offseason in the weight room and on the practice field sharpening themselves to prepare for the season, which will see them as an underdog by Cal-Hi Sports’ ranking in all four nonleague games.
“Last season didn’t go how we wanted it to go, but that’s just a chip on our shoulder for this year,” said QB Deuce Jefferson, a Weber State commit. “Our biggest opponent last year was us. We battle ourselves each and every day, and if you can’t win that then it’s a problem.”
This Friday against Leuzinger, Poly will face an Olympians team that was in the Division 2 CIF-SS playoffs last year. Leuzinger features running back Journee Tonga, who had over 2,000 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns last year as a junior–stopping him will be the first test for the Jackrabbits’ improved defensive front. Quarterback Russell Sekona and highly-touted offensive lineman Blake Graham are two other major pieces on offense; Graham has offers to several former Pac-12 schools. Sekona and Tonga both have scholarship offers as well.
Poly’s defense will counter with an improved front that includes Jaden Hernandez and Toa Tamasoa on the line along with sophomore stud Sammy Timu, and linebackers like Patrick Taliauli. Poly does have a few key transfers who are not going to be eligible this week or for the next few games as they will have to wait a month under the CIF-SS’ sit-out period rules.
The star of the show for the Olympians is on their defense: linebacker Samu Moala, an all-state selection who’s committed to Texas A&M. The Olympians have always liked to get after the quarterback so it will be a good test of Poly’s improved offensive line as well as QB Deuce Jefferson, who will need to handle the heat while looking to targets including Kamarie Smith, Jayden Coley, Zion Anderson, and Hernandez at tight end as well. Poly’s running backs weren’t very productive last year in their big nonleague games, but are a year older this season with a better line in front of them.
Poly is hoping to start the season and the Utupo era off on the right foot because the Jackrabbits face another highly-ranked team in the state next week as they hit the road to Lincoln in San Diego.
