Poly Completes Title Run, 28-8

Poly High capped a Cinderella season in style Friday night with a 28-8 victory over Lincoln in the City Section 3-A Division championship before 10,000 at East L.A. College.

The championship was the first true title in football for Poly (11-3), which won five unofficial titles before the implementation of a playoff format in 1934. The last time the Parrots played in a title game, they lost to Canoga Park, 34-27, in 1968. Lincoln (9-4-1) was making its first visit to the final since 1935.

The victory represents a spectacular turnaround for Poly, which finished 1-8-1 last season and had not won a conference game the previous two seasons.

“We won this game for our school and our conference (Valley Pac-8),” said Fred Cuccia, Poly’s second-year coach. “These kids hadn’t won much in recent years. Maybe now they’ll finally get some respect.”

The game figured to be a matchup between the running game of Poly and the passing of Lincoln.

But the showdown never materialized. Poly running back Jonathan Campbell dominated, finishing with 182 yards in 31 carries and two touchdowns. He ended the season with 2,089 yards and 31 touchdowns.

“I never have done anything like this in my life,” Campbell said. “We’re No. 1 now, and that’s about all I can say. But let me tell you, I worked hard for those yards tonight. It may have looked easy from the stands, but on the field Lincoln was hitting very hard.”

Lincoln quarterback Gaspar Ortega, who entered the game with 2,165 passing yards, completed eight of 20 for 98 yards and one touchdown. He also threw an interception that resulted in a Poly touchdown late in the first half.

After building a 19-8 halftime lead, Poly shunned a conservative approach in the second half. With the Parrots holding a 22-8 lead late in the third quarter, Cuccia elected to go for a first down on fourth and one at Poly’s 48-yard line. Campbell picked up the first down on a five-yard run. Ten plays later, Campbell put the Parrots ahead, 28-8, on a three-yard run up the middle.

“They definitely were the better team tonight,” Lincoln Coach Randy Rodriguez said. “Their running game was impossible to stop.”

Poly finished with 386 yards in offense and Lincoln had 165.

The Parrots started strongly, taking their opening possession 75 yards for a touchdown in 14 plays. Quarterback Lance Garcia capped the drive with a two-yard run.

Lincoln came right back and scored to take an 8-7 lead, but Poly drove 80 yards in eight plays on its next possession to score. Campbell capped the drive with a three-yard run up the middle.