Jackson Takes Lead as Poly Wins Title

Keyed by a stellar defensive performance when it counted -- the classic bend-but-don’t-break variety -- Long Beach Poly and its late-arriving offense won its 16th Southern Section championship on Friday.

The Division I victory, a 21-6 decision over Los Alamitos at Angel Stadium, was an odd one. For three quarters, Poly was dominated but held a 7-0 lead only because of DeSean Jackson’s brilliant 68-yard interception return for a touchdown.

It was the first meeting in a championship game between the two tradition-rich football powers, located 11 miles from each other.

The bulk of the Jackrabbits’ offense appeared only after Los Alamitos scored but botched the extra point. The hold by Orlando Scandrick was on the turf, and Dustin Abrams kicked it into the line. Poly hung on to a 7-6 lead with 9:28 left in the game, and it was enough to win a fifth title in eight years.

“If we make the point, we probably could have taken control of the game because we had momentum,” said Los Alamitos Coach John Barnes, whose team was going for its fifth title, and second in three years. “They’re always a little quicker and a little stronger than most people give them credit for. We played defense well enough to win.”

Poly gained 183 yards compared to 240 for Los Alamitos, but 97 of those yards came immediately following Scandrick’s nine-yard touchdown reception from Jim Barnes.

The missed extra-point seemed to spark the Poly offense, which answered with its most impressive drive of the night, nine plays covering 75 yards, all but six of it coming from tailback Troy Guthrie.

Guthrie, who finished with 108 yards in 15 carries, peeled off runs of 29 and 19 yards on back-to back plays, leading to Theo Scott’s one-yard quarterback sneak, which made it 14-7 following Michael Skvor’s extra point.

The Poly defense protected the margin on the next series, intercepting a Barnes pass for a third time. This time it was Gary Doxy who stepped in front of a pass intended for Jeremy Childs, and it gave Poly possession at the Los Alamitos 22 with 4:20 remaining. Guthrie scored from one yard with 3:12 to go, and the celebrating began.

Jackson was the key player, though.

Poly made the first critical play of the game, as Alfred Rowe hit Barnes hard in the stomach as he released the ball. Barnes’ 40-yard pass fluttered in the air, and Jackson intercepted it at the 32-yard line. After Jackson snaked his way up the field, he had returned it 68 yards for a touchdown. Skvor kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead at 9:22 in the first quarter.

Poly came into the game averaging 37.9 points, Los Alamitos 37.3.

Jackson wasn’t done, though. When Los Alamitos was digging out of a hole from its own one-yard line, moving downfield, Jackson was there. His second interception came with 2:02 left in the third quarter.

Barnes completed 13 of 31 passes for 146 yards and Griffin running back Cortes Rice had 113 yards in 19 rushes.