Prep Football Playoff Games to Watch : Long Beach Poly, Colton Match Running Backs

Long Beach Poly High School will play host to Colton in the first round of the Big Five Conference playoffs Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Long Beach Wilson.

The game will also showcase two of the best running backs in the Southern Section--Leonard Russell and George Hemingway.

Poly’s Russell, called one of the top backs in the country, is a 1,000-yard rusher who has provided most of Poly’s offense. The Jackrabbits have relied on their defense to subdue opponents in posting a 7-2 record and winning the title in the Moore League.

Colton’s Hemingway leads the Southern Section in rushing with 2,002 yards in 251 carries. Colton (7-3) finished third in the Citrus Belt League.

Covina (8-2) at Hacienda Heights Los Altos (9-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m. Los Altos was denied an undefeated season when it lost to Nogales of La Puente last week. Quarterback Darren DeSpain must rebound from a disappointing 7-for-18, 133-yard performance. DeSpain has passed for 1,600 yards. Covina started the season by winning six straight but had to pull out a 20-16 victory over Walnut to grab the third Valle Vista League berth to the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Loyola (8-2) vs. Huntington Beach Marina (5-5), at Westminster, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Marina pulled off an amazing turnabout in winning the Sunset League title and advancing to the Big Five playoffs. The Vikings lost all five nonleague games, then won all five league games. Top rusher Sean Magula is doubtful, however, having reinjured his left ankle. Magula was a big reason the Vikings won their first Sunset League title in 23 years. He has gained 704 yards but missed four of the five losses. Sophomore tailback John Sims is out with a broken hand. Loyola stumbled with consecutive league losses but appears to have righted itself.

Huntington Beach Edison (8-2) vs. Encino Crespi (9-1), at Birmingham, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Edison’s tough-luck draw in the pairings should provide a terrific first-round Big Five game. The Chargers were the Big Five co-champions last season but finished second in the Sunset League. Crespi lost only once in the tough Del Rey League. The teams are led by running backs: Kaleaph Carter is a 1,000-yard rusher for the Chargers, and Crespi sophomore Russell White rushed for 1,606 yards and 21 touchdowns. The last time Crespi made the playoffs was 1982, when Edison eliminated the Celts in the opening round.

Reseda Cleveland (7-2) vs. Carson (8-1), at Gardena, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Running back Albert Fann leads a rejuvenated Cleveland team that rebounded from a 1-7 record last season. Fann hurt an ankle last season and played in just two games. This season, he has gained more than 1,100 yards in leading the Cavaliers into the City 4-A playoffs. Still, Cleveland faces a Carson team that is coming off a big loss to archrival Banning last week. Carson running backs Alvin Goree and Calvin Holmes provide the offensive firepower, but Carson, The Times’ second-ranked team, was slowed considerably by Banning.

San Fernando (2-7) at Wilmington Banning (9-0), at Veterans Stadium, Friday, 7:30 p.m. Banning has moved up to No. 2 in the USA Today prep poll. The 37-10 win over Carson, the only City team thought capable of beating Banning, surely helped boost the Pilots. Banning, The Times’ top-ranked City team and the top-seeded team in the 4-A playoffs, has many weapons. The Pilots pass well with Ed Kapu at quarterback and run effectively, even with Ricky Moore filling in for injured starter Archie Jean. And the defense has allowed just 38 points in 9 games and recorded five straight shutouts. San Fernando qualified as the No. 4 team from the Valley League.

Ventura (6-3-1) at Lancaster Antelope Valley (9-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m. Ventura must battle the tricky winds of the high desert as well as a very good Antelope Valley team in this Coastal Conference game. Better teams have fallen at Lancaster. Just two weeks ago, in fact, the Antelopes, the third-seeded team, ended Canyon Country Canyon’s 46-game win streak. The Antelopes keep the ball on the ground and in the hands of Eric Mortensen. A senior tailback, Mortensen has rushed for 1,383 yards behind a mammoth offensive line.

Rancho Palos Verdes Miraleste (6-2-2) at Temple City (10-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m. Mike Silane, a 5-foot 6-inch, 160-pound running back, leads a tiny Miraleste team. Starting quarterback Todd Hollingshead has been out with a broken left arm since the first league game, and the Marauders have turned the offense over to Silane. He has run for 1,366 yards in 198 carries, leading Miraleste into the Northwestern Conference playoffs. Miraleste is an at-large team. Temple City is the Rio Hondo League champion and top-seeded. Temple City’s Mike Mooney rushed for 169 yards in 24 carries last week.

Dorsey (6-3) at Granada Hills Kennedy (5-3-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m. Kennedy, the San Fernando Valley’s best defensive team, lost two starters because of poor grades--guard-linebacker Eric Miles and offensive tackle Albert Richardson. Kennedy’s defense has given up an average of just 82.8 yards a game. Dorsey gave Banning fits before falling, 3-0, on a late field goal. Quarterback Dana Frelow keys the Dorsey offense.