Spotlight Shines on Local Schools

The biggest football game of the season has arrived. Only it’s a week ahead of schedule and 400 miles closer to home.

Mission Viejo will have the opportunity to prove it’s the best high school team in California tonight, when the Diablos, ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, meet second-ranked Long Beach Poly at Long Beach Cabrillo High in a nationally televised game at 7:30.

Football fans thought the big game wouldn’t come until Oct. 9, when Mission Viejo traveled to Concord De La Salle to play the Spartans, who had a national-record 151-game winning streak entering the season.

But De La Salle lost its opener in Seattle to Bellevue (Wash.), then saw its record fall to 0-2-1 with a 30-13 loss to visiting Clovis West and a 7-7 tie with host Salinas Palma.

Before the Spartans could record their first victory of the season -- 49-0 over San Jose Mitty last week -- Mission Viejo (3-0) and Poly (3-0) climbed into the top two spots in the state rankings.

“The De La Salle game still has a lot of importance, but we have another big game first,” Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson said.

It would be difficult to look past Long Beach Poly no matter what opponent was coming next.

The Jackrabbits, producers of more NFL players than any high school in the country, have reached the Southern Section Division I championship game in six of the last seven seasons, including last year, when they lost to Los Angeles Loyola, 21-17.

Poly is also the last Southland team to play De La Salle, losing home-and-away games in 2001 and 2002.

“They’ve played their best in the big games over the years,” Johnson said of the Jackrabbits, who lost by one point, 28-27, at Mission Viejo last season after a failed two-point conversion late in the game. “They’ve always got the speed and always have the big-play possibilities.”

Poly, ranked No. 5 in the nation by USA Today, has 10 starters back, including speedy receiver Desean Jackson, who caught two touchdown passes in last season’s title game.

The Diablos, ranked No. 3 in the country, are led by USC-bound quarterback Mark Sanchez. He’ll face one of the region’s fastest defensive backfields, which rarely changes from man-to-man coverage.

Poly Coach Raul Lara said providing some resistance against Sanchez and the Diablos’ massive offensive line will be his team’s biggest challenge.

“We’re not playing that well on defense,” Lara said. “Hopefully, we can at least stop them a couple of times.”

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Tickets to tonight’s game will be sold at the gate at Long Beach Cabrillo after all. Originally, no gate sales were expected, but Poly officials said slow sales on campus resulted in tickets being available. Cabrillo’s stadium has a capacity of 5,000. Its box office is expected to open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets, priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and children 12 and under, are also available from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. today on the Poly campus.

FSN West will broadcast the game, beginning at 7 p.m.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

No. 1 Mission Viejo (3-0) vs. No. 2 Long Beach Poly (3-0)

Tonight, 7:30,

Long Beach Cabrillo High

TV: FSN West

WHEN MISSION VIEJO HAS THE BALL

The Diablos scored twice against Poly last year on double-reverse passes, but without offensive playmaker Marty Tadman, who is now at Boise State, they probably will rely on their offensive line -- three linemen weigh more than 300 pounds -- to pave the way. The beneficiary will be running back Chane Moline, a 230-pound junior who scored on an 88-yard run against Poly last season. But don’t expect quarterback Mark Sanchez to hand off the entire game. He’ll probably keep looking for tight end Konrad Reuland, a 6-foot-6 junior who is the team’s leading receiver.

WHEN LONG BEACH POLY HAS THE BALL

Identifying the greatest offensive threat might depend on who is under center for the Jackrabbits. Cruz Parsons threw for 2,548 yards and 28 touchdowns last season but has received less playing time than tonight’s scheduled starter, fellow senior Theo Scott. Scott’s best showing came two weeks ago, when he replaced Parsons after the second offensive series against Clovis West. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 overtime victory. Scott is considered a more dangerous runner than Parsons, something that should come in handy against Mission Viejo’s strong pass rush.

MISSION VIEJO’S KEYS TO VICTORY

The Diablos need to move the chains and limit Poly’s number of offensive possessions. Sanchez’s completion percentage is slightly down from last season and he needs to be accurate against the Jackrabbits, who can turn an overthrown pass into a defensive touchdown quicker than any team. The defense must also pressure Poly’s quarterback.

LONG BEACH POLY’S KEYS TO VICTORY

The Jackrabbits can’t turn the ball over, especially on their side of the field, or commit penalties because they are being over aggressive. Already giving up an average of 23 points, Poly needs to make Mission Viejo work for its points. Linebacker William Alo also needs to tackle well, especially against Moline, who can be a load to bring down once he breaks into the secondary.

-- Dan Arritt