Loyola Will Take Crack at Dethroning Poly

The Southern Section Division I football final has a slightly different look, for the first time in four years.

Long Beach Poly (13-0) is back for its fourth consecutive appearance and will once again play a powerful parochial school opponent. But this time Los Angeles Loyola (12-1), not Mater Dei, will try to slow the Jackrabbits. Kickoff for tonight’s game at Edison Field is set for 7:30.

Poly, the defending co-champion, is trying to win consecutive titles for the third time. The Jackrabbits repeated in 1929-30 and 1958-59.

Poly is 53-1-1 over the last four seasons, and scored a semifinal victory over Loyola in 1997 and a quarterfinal victory in 1998.

Long Beach Poly has its usual arsenal of players on offense, led by running back Hershel Dennis, who has rushed for 1,829 yards; quarterback Markee White, wide receiver Josh Hawkins and tight end Marcedes Lewis.

But it’s the Jackrabbits’ defense that has stood out. Linebacker Marvin Simmons and lineman Raymond Tago lead a unit that has recorded six shutouts.

“We thought we were going to be awesome up front and we’ve been that,” Poly Coach Jerry Jaso said.

Poly rolled through the playoffs, defeating Fountain Valley, 41-17; Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, 28-7, and Esperanza, 49-28.

“We’re probably at a disadvantage, speed-wise and talent-wise, but it’s one game,” Loyola Coach Steve Grady said. “If we can limit their number of big plays, we have a chance.”

Loyola is seeking its fifth title, its first since 1990, when the Cubs defeated Quartz Hill. Loyola lost to La Puente Bishop Amat in the 1995 final and to Mater Dei in the 1996 final.

The Cubs are led by UCLA-bound Matt Ware, who is a playmaker at quarterback and defensive back. Ware has rushed for 1,097 yards and 16 touchdowns and passed for 986 yards and six touchdowns. Loyola also features backs Rafael Rice (1,377 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns) and Bo Renaud (428 yards) running behind an offensive line anchored by Keith Ornelas, who has signed with California.

Ware and linebackers Chad Slapnicka and Jordan Trott lead the defense.

Loyola’s only defeat this season was a 24-21 loss to Mater Dei on a last-second field goal. In the playoffs, the Cubs beat Rialto, 35-16; Edison, 21-14, and Rialto Eisenhower, 17-14, in overtime.

“You have to stop Matt Ware,” Jaso said. “He’s such a big-play guy, you have to commit a lot of your efforts to stopping him without forgetting about Rice and Renaud.”

Poly’s defense is coming off consecutive big games against standout running backs. The Jackrabbits limited St. Paul’s De’Andre Scott to 45 yards in 15 carries. Esperanza’s Temitope Sonuyi gained only 46 yards in 15 carries, 158 yards below his average. Meanwhile, Dennis has gained 169, 109 and 239 yards in Poly’s playoff victories.

“We can be successful if we can run on them, but there hasn’t been a team that has done that this season,” Grady said. “We can throw the ball, but that is not our forte.

“We can’t get into a shootout with them. They can score on any play.”