Big Five Conference : L.B. Poly’s Defense Holds Off Marina to Advance, 7-6

Even Marina High School football Coach Dave Thompson conceded that Friday night’s CIF Big Five Conference game against Long Beach Poly was a thrilling event to watch.

But Thompson would have liked to see a lot more progress on the part of his offense, and a lot less of the fearsome Poly defense and its time-consuming offense.

Poly’s defense held the Vikings (8-4-1) to a total of 56 yards rushing, and emerged with a 7-6 victory, its second one-point win in as many games.

“We just couldn’t move the ball,” Thompson said, citing a problem that about 11 other coaches have shared this season against the Jackrabbits (11-1). “The defenses played real well. It sure was a great game for the spectators, although there weren’t many points scored.”

Poly will face Edison for the conference championship next week, marking the fourth time in six years it has qualified for the final.

“We got some great efforts out of some kids who don’t usually play (on offense) and our defense did its usual great job and kept us in it long enough to get on the scoreboard,” said Poly Coach Thomas Whiting.

He added that after early injuries to tight end Michael Vaughn and guard Erik Golston, the coaches had to juggle the offensive line and receivers, rotating in substitutes Herman Maliga, Shannon Fisher and Kennard Hamilton.

Despite the fact that Poly dominated the statistics Friday, the outcome could easily have been different because of the heroics on the part of the Marina defense. It spent the vast majority of the game on the field, and had three interceptions and several dramatic goal line stands.

Nose Guard Tyrone Youngblood even chased down Poly tailback Leonard Russell to rob him of what looked like a sure touchdown, but still wound up as a 53-yard gain.

The Jackrabbits did gain 344 yards of total offense to Marina’s 154, and earn 13 first downs to the Vikings’ six. Poly’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown until its ninth game, a loss to Moore League rival Millikan, and allowed offenses an average of 43 yards a game on the ground, and 1.39 yards per carry.

Yet, it was the Vikings who held the lead, 6-0 until the third quarter.

The Sunset League co-champions scored with 20 seconds left in the second quarter following Viking defensive back Keith Laszlo’s interception of a Michael Herring pass.

Four plays later, Marina quarterback Rick Vanderriet (6 of 24 for 98 yards) launched a 45-yard bomb to Steve Jennings. But the Vikings missed the kick and the crucial point of the game when the holder bobbled the ball, forcing kicker Ben Lefrancois to attempt a pass to Bill Craft.

In the end, that was to be a telling factor.

The Jackrabbit offense managed to monopolize possession of the ball much of the second half, although it was plagued by turnovers the entire game. Marina didn’t earn a first down in the second half until nine minutes were gone in the third quarter. They only gained one more after that.

“Apprarently they felt they could throw the football on us,” said Poly Coach Jerry Jaso. “They got the one bomb early, and they tried to come back at us using the same route, but we changed our defense.”

The Vikings also had three interceptions.

Appropriately, it was the Poly defense that virtually handed its offense the touchdown when Lolo James intercepted a Vanderrriet pass at the Marina 14-yard line and returned it to the 2-yard line before Sean Magula brought him down.

Then Poly’s talented junior tailback, Leonard Russell, who had 32 carries for 190 yards, scored on a 2-yard run with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Adam Scolaro’s kick proved to be the margin of victory.

“Once we get the lead,” Whiting said, “our defense says, ‘Hey, this one’s ours.”