Fountain Valley Crumbles as Long Beach Poly Romps, 42-0

Having just experienced one of the worst--if not the worst--defeat in his 11 years as Fountain Valley High School football coach, Mike Milner stood calm, poised and ready as the reporters approached, oh-so-tentatively.

Fountain Valley, the defending Division I champions, had crumbled in all aspects, losing, 42-0, to Long Beach Poly before 500 at Huntington Beach High School. But it was difficult to decide which was more agonizing for Milner--the loss or a reporter’s ill-advised question:

“Coach, were there any positives tonight?”

Milner grimaced, then said, “That’s kind of like asking ‘Do you want to die burning to death? Drowning? Or what? “

For Fountain Valley (2-3), the loss offered pain every which way. Fountain Valley had played 18 games without being shut out. The last time Fountain Valley was shut out was the third game of the 1987 season in a 17-0 loss to Mission Viejo.

Because of injuries, the Barons played without five starters Thursday, including standout receiver Doug Weaver, who suffered a broken nose in last week’s victory over El Modena.

But against Long Beach Poly, two more players were injured: fullback Aaron Wilcox, who went down late in the third quarter with an ankle injury, and quarterback Willy Puga, who left after being sacked in the game’s final moments.

For Long Beach Poly, the game provided an arena for its standout running back, Andre Green, who rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns in 14 carries. Neither team got off to a fast start, but Green provided the Jackrabbitts’ spark when he outraced the Fountain Valley defense on a 90-yard touchdown run with a minute to go in the first quarter.

Green also scored on the Jackrabbitts’ next possession, a 15-yard run, and closed the first half with a 20-yard scoring scamper for a 28-0 halftime lead.

Although Fountain Valley might have had dreams of coming back in the second half--last week after a 21-0 halftime deficit the Barons scored two touchdowns in the last seven minutes to defeat El Modena, 22-21--there would be nothing doing Thursday.

Instead, the Barons were frustrated in each of their drives. After junior running back Sean Mahony helped bring Fountain Valley to the Long Beach Poly five-yard line, Puga’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Edward Crawford, who returned it 99 yards for a touchdown and a 42-0 lead.

Fountain Valley came as close as the 16-yard line twice more, but a fumble and an interception ended any hope.