Aztecs Beat Long Beach Poly on Late Two-Point Conversion

What is it about this series between Esperanza and Long Beach Poly that keeps coming up with No. 3?

Three missed point-after-touchdown kicks, a field goal, a three-point halftime deficit and a three-yard conversion pass added up to a 25-24 come-from-behind Esperanza victory in front of about 800 Friday night at Veterans Stadium.

Esperanza quarterback David Parrish capped a furious fourth-quarter rally that had erased a 24-10 Poly lead with the winning two-point conversion pass to tight end Ryan Hill with 53 seconds left in the game.

Referees had spotted the ball at the three-yard line on the left hash mark and Parrish rolled to his right to avoid the Poly rush before hitting Hill.

Moments earlier a similar play resulted in a four-year touchdown pass from Parrish to flanker Randy Ross.

Esperanza had lost to Poly by three points, three consecutive times before Friday.

“Feels good,” Parrish said afterward. “Ever since my freshman year we had lost to them.”

Parrish completed 18 of 37 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.

Poly quarterback Chris Lewis, a sophomore, completed 16 of 33 passes for 154 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Poly’s inability to convert three conversion kicks tipped this one Esperanza’s way. The Jackrabbits also failed on a two-point attempt after taking an 18-10 lead with a little over three minutes left in the third quarter.

“That’s where we lost the game,” Poly Coach Jerry Jaso said. “We make those and they don’t have a chance to catch us.”

Even so, the Aztec victory wasn’t safe until Aztec defensive tackle Dan Lyu forced Poly’s third fumble of the game and Esperanza linebacker Dannon Brown recovered it at midfield with 23 seconds left.

Esperanza held a 3-0 lead thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Justin Ware with 2 minutes 11 seconds left in the first quarter.

And the Aztecs looked as if they would make it hold up and go into the locker room ahead. But Poly partially blocked a Esperanza punt and took over at the Aztec 31.

Lewis responded quickly, hitting wide-out Ken-yon Rambo down the middle with a 31-yard scoring pass.