Fountain Valley Loses For Fifth Straight Time

Highly touted Long Beach Poly High School running back Leonard Russell returned to form Friday night at the expense of Fountain Valley High.

Russell ran for two touchdowns and also added a two-point conversion run to lead Poly past Fountain Valley 20-6, at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

With the win, Poly, The Times’ pre-season No. 1 pick snapped a two-game losing streak. The Jackrabbits are 2-2.

Fountain Valley is 0-5, one of the worst starts in the school’s history.

Russell, considered by scouts before the season began as one of the nation’s best high school tailbacks, has struggled in his last two games. In the opener against Gardena High he rushed for 136 yards. But, the next two weeks, he managed just 83 yards. Friday night he gained 94.

He gained just 30 yards on 9 timid carries in the first half. The Fountain Valley defense appeared to control Poly’s offensive line at will.

But the Fountain Valley offense was sputtering, too. Sophomore quarterback David Henigan completed just 3 of 6 pass attempts for 24 yards in the first half.

Running back Ray Luckley led what offense they could muster with 26 yards in 9 carries.

However, the Barons held a six-point lead at the half on a pair of field goals by Dana Potts. Potts connected on kicks of 32 and 38 yards.

A different Poly offense surfaced in the second half. Led by Russell’s 5 carries the Jackrabbits opened the third quarter with a 70-yard drive. The senior tailback capped the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run at the 8:16 mark. The score remained tied 6-6 when Adam Scolaro hooked his extra-point attempt to the left.

Poly went ahead for good. On a 10-play, 72-yard drive. Russell finished that drive, too, with a nine-yard run for a score with 2:09 left in the third period.

The Jackrabbits padded their lead with 9:16 left in the game on a 30-yard scoring pass from quarterback Todd Nichols to flanker Larry Harriston.

It was a frustrating night offensively for Fountain Valley. Henigan did not complete a pass in the second half until seven minutes remained. Still, a pair of Poly fumbles handed the Barons good field position, inside the Poly 30, twice in the final quarter.

Fountain Valley drove the Poly three-yard line with less than two minutes to play. But a pass by Henigan on fourth and two fell incomplete.