Football: Oaks Christian-Long Beach Poly put on a show
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On Friday night at Central Park in Saugus, the intensity level went up several notches when Westlake Village Oaks Christian and Long Beach Poly played in a seven-on-seven passing competition. The atmosphere was amazing for a night in June, with fans, players and parents suddenly acting as if it were a Friday night in September.
The teams started matching each other touchdown for touchdown, with neither side willing to back down. It was touch football but the aggressiveness and competitiveness reached such a high level that the teams briefly had to be separated when a couple players got into a shoving match.
What great athleticism was on display. Poly junior receiver Richard Smith showed off his speed with a couple of touchdown receptions. Oaks Christian tight end Dillon van der Wal used his 6-foot-7 size to catch a couple touchdowns. Oaks Christian quarterback Trevor Gretzky and Poly QB Emmanuel Lara made some nice passes.
In the end, the game finished in a tie, with both teams scoring four touchdowns. But it was so much fun and excitement for a Friday night three months before the pads come on and the real action begins. You would have never known based on watching the likes of Jordan Payton and Blair Holliday for Oaks Christian and Corey Waller of Poly that it was a mere passing competition.
But it brought out the competitiveness in everyone, and that’s why the passing competitions are so valuable.
The competition resumes Saturday at 3 p.m. with the finals at 8 p.m. I can’t believe there will be a most intense match-up, unless it’s a Westlake-Oaks Christian final.
-- Eric Sondheimer