Defining moments carry teams to brink

There comes a time in every high school football season when a coach must look into his players’ eyes and help them deal with adversity.

Each of the four remaining teams in the Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs faced a defining moment this season, requiring their coaches to intervene with words and actions that made a difference.

Here are their stories:

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Long Beach Poly, a 16-time Southern Section football champion, began its season with a 9-7 defeat to Santa Margarita on a 27-yard field goal with 30 seconds left.

Afterward, Coach Raul Lara gathered his team. Wherever they looked, they saw Santa Margarita players and fans jumping up and down in jubilation.

“I want you to listen and watch,” Lara told his dejected players. “This is what happens when people beat Poly.”

Lara warned his players that if they didn’t start practicing harder and focusing better, there would be more teams celebrating.

The next day, after a film session, standout defensive back Donovan Warren called Lara on his cellphone.

“Coach, I don’t want to lose anymore,” Warren said. “Put me anywhere you want.”

That unselfishness and renewed commitment spread from player to player.

Poly (11-1) hasn’t lost since. It plays a semifinal today at 4:30 p.m. against Orange Lutheran at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

“I’m having the greatest time of my six years as head coach with this group,” Lara said. “We could have easily quit, but they made sure we wanted to change.”

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After Orange Lutheran’s quest for an unbeaten season came to an emotional end because of a 28-21 double-overtime defeat to Anaheim Servite in its Trinity League opener, Coach Jim Kunau wasted no time trying to get his players to move on.

“We did our best to let go,” Kunau said.

“Those first few hours are always difficult, but you have to do it as a coach for everyone else. If you don’t, it becomes an act of self pity that no one can afford.”

Kunau reminded his players that there are three ways to fail in life. “One is to quit,” he said. “Another is to make excuses, and the third way is to blame other people. We gave Servite credit and looked to see how we could improve.”

Orange Lutheran (11-1) hasn’t lost since, winning six consecutive games going into its Pac-5 semifinal against Poly.

“It tested our resolve,” Kunau said. “It’s always easier to have allegiance to your values when things are going well. But are you going to hold to your values when adversity strikes? I think our kids did.”

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Coach Dave White of Huntington Beach Edison faced a crisis of confidence after his team lost to Anaheim Esperanza, 38-0, in the second game of Sunset League play.

Players seemed to have quit in the fourth quarter. As they sat in the locker room afterward, White had to decide whether he should scream in anger or offer a talk from the heart.

“We decided our only chance was to challenge them and be positive,” White said.

And so White gave his talk.

“This is a fork in the road,” he told his players. “This is a turning point. We’re either going to go into the tank and not make the playoffs or we’re going to take it one game at a time.... We got knocked down to the canvas. Are you going to get up?”

The next game, Edison defeated Newport Harbor, 37-6. The Chargers (10-2) have won six consecutive games entering tonight’s 8 p.m. semifinal against Santa Margarita at the Home Depot Center.

“We all decided we aren’t going to mention Esperanza again,” he said.

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On Oct. 13, Santa Margarita defeated Santa Ana Mater Dei, 17-7, to improve to 6-0. The Eagles were euphoric. They were ranked No. 1 in Orange County. All week, students and players walked around campus with their chests out. Santa Margarita seemed invincible.

Coach Mike Jacot tried to warn his players, but in the next game, Orange Lutheran thumped the Eagles, 49-39.

“We were a little giddy,” Jacot said. “We lost focus. It was a big wake-up call.”

Jacot got the attention of his players the next day. It was time to teach them a lesson about “keeping everything in perspective and not letting success go to your head.”

Last week, Santa Margarita pulled off an upset victory over Mission Viejo, equivalent to its win over Mater Dei. There was pandemonium on the field. Everyone was celebrating.

It’s time to see if the players learned their lesson tonight against Edison.

“Don’t let this change who you are and what you’ve done,” Jacot told his players last month. “Don’t change.”

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com