Long Beach Poly: secondary to none

Long Beach Poly has produced more NFL players than any high school in California, and the position that college coaches count on for the Jackrabbits to deliver a top prospect every season is defensive back.

Former Poly defensive backs are scattered around the nation, from Donovan Warren at Michigan to Vincent Joseph at USC, from Rodney Van at UCLA to Byron Davenport at Washington.

In the past, there was Mark Carrier, Darnell Bing, Marquez Pope, Marques Anderson, Anthony Cobbs, Omar Stoutmire, Darrell Rideaux. . . .

“We can go on and on,” Poly Coach Raul Lara said. “We can probably name 30 guys.”

So it should come as no surprise that as Poly (12-1) prepares to take on Encino Crespi (11-2) in the Southern Section Pac-5 Division championship game Saturday night at the Home Depot Center, defense remains the Jackrabbits’ specialty.

Their senior safeties, Vaughn Telemaque and Herman Davidson, form the best safety duo in the Southland. Telemaque has offers from USC, Michigan and Oregon. Davidson is being recruited by Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi and San Diego State.

Telemaque could be a better safety prospect than Bing, who was a standout at USC. The senior is 6 feet 1, is fast and hits people with tremendous ferocity.

“The bigger he is, the harder he falls,” Telemaque said of his upcoming assignment: stopping 6-8 Crespi tight end Joseph Fauria.

Both safeties have six interceptions. And Poly’s two senior cornerbacks, Jeffrey Johnson and Sheldon Armstrong, can more than hold their own.

The Jackrabbits pulled off one of the most memorable goal-line stands in school history last week in the second quarter of their 2-0 semifinal victory over Orange Lutheran.

Four times the Lancers tried to score from the one-yard line on running plays. Four times they were stuffed inches short of the goal line.

“It’s got to be right up there at the top of anything I’ve ever seen,” Poly defensive coordinator Jeff Turley said.

Then, in the final 30 seconds, Poly came up with another goal-line stand from the one, recovering a fumble to preserve the victory.

There’s so much pride Poly players have when they wear their green jerseys.

“That green is golden,” Telemaque said. “It really means something when you put on the Poly uniform.”

Then there’s the tradition established by the all-star players of the past from a school that has won 16 Southern Section football championships.

“We want to live up to everybody,” Telemaque said. “We love the tradition.”

It’s no secret why Poly’s secondary is good on a yearly basis. Players show up with lots of athletic ability, and the coaches do the rest.

“We’re fortunate to get great athletes at that position and they get college coaching,” Lara said. “They’re sound, technique-wise.”

Of course, with so much talent come high expectations, and Poly is probably the only team in the Southland whose fans expect to win every game no matter the opponent.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Telemaque said. “At the same time, it’s a challenge.”

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Tonight’s City Championship game at the Coliseum could be the last high school game for Lake Balboa Birmingham running back Milton Knox, who, in many ways, has put together the greatest four-year prep career in City history.

He has rushed for a City-record 6,516 yards and scored 100 touchdowns. A victory over Carson would mean he has won three City titles in four seasons.

“What a talent,” Coach Ed Croson said. “What a heart.”

Birmingham could get the nod to represent the south in the state Division I bowl championship game on Dec. 15, but that word won’t come until Sunday, when the decision of the state’s 10 section commissioners is announced beginning at 3 p.m. live on FSN Prime Ticket.

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eric.sondheimer@latimes.com