Football: All you need is (Josh) Love

It’s not how you start but how you finish, according to Josh Love. That said, it should not come as a surprise to learn the senior quarterback for Long Beach Poly got off to a bumpy beginning before finishing with a flurry on Friday night against Westlake.

The 6-foot-2, 188-pounder got things going midway through the second quarter and finished 27-of-43 passing with 270 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-24 nonleague victory over the visiting Warriors at Veterans Stadium on the campus of Long Beach City College.

“Maybe it was jitters. Maybe not. I knew one thing, I had to stick with the game plan,” Love said. “I was determined to make a statement in this game. It didn’t matter how long that took to accomplish. The end result, getting the victory, is the only thing that matters.”

Westlake (2-1 overall) had a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and a 17-14 advantage at halftime. Love responded for the Jackrabbits (3-0) by throwing a pair of touchdowns to Johnnie Rucker (25 and 3 yards) and a couple more to Dae’John Jeffrey Logan (22 and 25 yards).

Worth mentioning, his counterpart, Malik Henry, kept the underdog Warriors close throughout the game. The high-profile junior was 19-of-30 passing for 244 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 31 yards and a score. In the end, however, Love delivered when it mattered most.

Sean Ceglinsky has covered sports in the Southland for the better part of 15-plus years. Follow him on Twitter @SeanCeglinsky