HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS / SOUTHERN SECTION SEMIFINALS : Poly Goes for Two; Amat Wins

After rallying from a two-touchdown deficit, Long Beach Poly missed a two-point conversion attempt with a minute to play and lost to La Puente Bishop Amat, 28-27, in a Southern Section Division I semifinal Saturday night.

Before 13,000 at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, the Jackrabbits pulled within a point on Akka-ar Moses’ 12-yard touchdown run. On the two-point play, quarterback Morris Smith was sacked by Brian Polak.

Bishop Amat (11-1-1) will play Del Rey League rival Loyola (11-2) in the division final Saturday night at 7:30 at the Coliseum. Poly, which has not played in a championship game since 1985, finished 12-1.

After the score was tied, 14-14, at halftime, Bishop Amat’s Ralph Brown II scored his second touchdown of the game on a six-yard run early in the third quarter.

On its next possession, Bishop Amat got a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brian Russell to Chris Sabado early in the fourth quarter to go ahead, 28-14.

Poly rallied as Morris Smith hit Larry Wade for a 53-yard touchdown pass play with four minutes to play.