Long Beach Poly Gets Two Late Scores to Tie Edison for Big Five Title

Let the record book show that Edison and Long Beach Poly were co-champions of the Southern Section’s Big Five Conference after the teams played to a 14-14 tie Friday night at Anaheim Stadium.

But the 9,131 fans in attendance know otherwise. Long Beach Poly left the field looking like winners after rallying for two touchdowns in the last four minutes. Many of the Edison players were slamming their helmets on the field after dominating play for 3 1/2 quarters, only to see what appeared to be a sure victory slip away.

Sheri Workman, wife of Edison Coach Bill Workman, did her best to cheer up her husband, saying, “Don’t feel like you lost.”

“I don’t,” Workman said. “Worse things have happened.”

But Workman will likely second-guess himself for weeks to come on two significant plays in the final quarter that turned the game around. Both plays led directly to Jackrabbit touchdowns that earned them the tie.

The first play came with 4:37 remaining and the Chargers facing a third-and-24 on their 14-yard line. Instead of playing it safe with a running play, Workman went with a pass, and quarterback Mike Angelovic threw the ball directly into the hands of the Jackrabbits’ defensive end, Stacey Elliot.

Three plays later, running back Leonard Russell scored on a three-yard run to cut Edison’s lead to 14-7 with 3:43 left.

Big play No. 2 was Workman’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-one at Poly’s 43-yard line with 1:51 left. Angelovic tried a quarterback keeper over center that failed to gain a yard, giving Poly the chance it needed to salvage a ballgame it seemed destined to lose.

Jackrabbit quarterback Mike Herring, who had been sporadic most of the evening, threw three consecutive passes that moved Poly to Edison’s 20-yard line. Following an incomplete pass, Poly’s Andre Hill beat Edison defender Tim Bontrager to the end zone, and Herring hit the speedy receiver with a perfect pass for the score with 59 seconds remaining.

Jerry Jaso and Thomas Whiting, Poly’s co-coaches, never hesitated on the conversion. Kicker Adam Scholaro trotted onto the field, kicked the extra point, and the co-coaches had a share of a co-championship, 14-14.

Afterwards, Herring, who completed 16 of 28 passes for 162 yards, admitted the tie left him with an empty feeling.

“I feel like something was unaccomplished,” he said. “I’m glad we didn’t lose the game, but there’s an unfulfilled feeling. I must admit I do feel better than I did with five minutes remaining in the game.”

A tiebreaker in a championship game was eliminated in 1982 after three teams played overtime games in 1981 conference title games. The most notable of the overtime games was Foothill’s 31-24 triple-overtime win over El Modena.

But the majority of Edison’s players were unaware that the game was over and that there would be no overtime period. The Chargers’ defense had dominated play with seven sacks and two interceptions, yet there was a feeling of frustration on the team’s bench as the gun sounded.

“We worked so hard and then come up with a tie,” said Rick Justice, the Chargers’ wide receiver. “It seemed like we dominated for three quarters and then let up. I felt like we should have won, and we didn’t.”

Workman wasn’t pleased, but he wasn’t complaining about sharing his third Big Five title in seven years.

“It’s not that big of a thrill,” Workman said. “Still, we won the CIF title. I can’t feel to bad about the way it came out.”

The Chargers scored the only touchdown of the first half after Poly had fumbled on the first play of the game. The Jackrabbits attempted an end-around play to open the game, but wide receiver Eric Morgan fumbled a handoff and safety Joe Morris recovered for the Chargers at the Poly 22-yard line.

Angelovic came out throwing, but was unsuccessful on his first two attempts. He completed a pass to Carter for a first down at the Jackrabbits’ 10-yard line and then scored on a 10-yard run, zig-zagging through the middle of Poly’s line.

Poly totaled 93 yards in the half, but Herring threw two interceptions to kill potential scoring drives. Linebacker Marc Hartman intercepted Herring’s first pass after end Brad Needham had hit Herring before he released the ball.

Edison defensive back Kirk Hooten killed Poly’s best scoring chance late in the second quarter. The Jackrabbits used 17 plays to reach Edison’s 33-yard line, but Herring threw a poor pass that Hooten caught to end the threat. The Chargers also sacked Herring three times on the potential drive.

Angelovic had his problems in the first half, but came on strong to finish with 104 yards passing. He completed only 7 of 17 pass attempts for one touchdown and ran for another.