Photos by John Fajardo

Thanks to strong defensive play and a great night by Kaelin Clay, the Poly Jackrabbits overcame a sluggish offensive performance to defeat Cabrillo 15-6.  The Jackrabbits didn’t break a mistake-cued zero-zero tie until there were just over nine minutes left in the first half.  “Maybe we took them too lightly,” said Clay after the game, “It showed.  They gave us a real fight.”

It was a strange atmosphere for football at Vet’s Stadium, as the minds of players and coaches were still on the fatal shooting after the Wilson/Poly game last week, and the stands were virtually empty.  The mood carried into the gameplay, as both offenses looked listless, missing blocking assignments and never getting into a rhythm.  Both QBs struggled to get the ball to their receivers (Poly started 0/13 and Cabrillo 4/14).  The play of the Poly defense saved them, as they limited Cabrillo to 47 yards of offense in the first half.

With Cabrillo unable to move the ball, Clay’s success in the return game was a huge boost, as three times in the first half Poly started at or inside the Jaguar 40-yard line.  But nothing was clicking on offense—when Poly QB Chris Leachman got the ball to his receivers, they dropped it, and when his receivers were open, he couldn’t hit them accurately.  Two missed field goals and a failed fourth-and-goal attempt meant it was doughnuts at halftime.

In the second half, the defenses started grabbing interceptions (one for Cabrillo and three for Poly).  Kameron Jackson’s interception, Poly’s first, halted a Cabrillo drive at the Poly 40.  Then, with just over nine minutes left, Cabrillo QB Derek Stewart made the mistake that swung the outcome, underthrowing a post route and watching as it was picked off by Poly’s Salamo Fiso, who had a powerful return all the way down to the one yard line.  The next play, Poly’s fullback Lexus Johnson punched it in, and after two Cabrillo false starts, Leachman snuck it up the middle to make it 8-0.

Stewart threw another interception on the next drive, this time picked off by Josh Fasavalu.  Poly handed the ball to Clay, who had great success at running back in the second half—he had six carries for 60 yards on the drive, including a touchdown (he finished with 15 carries for 110 yards, and had close to 100 yards in the return game). 

Cabrillo did break with recent history by putting up their first points against Poly since 2003, with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Stewart to Derek Speight in the waning minutes of the game.

Cabrillo coach A.J. Luke said coming close to tasting victory was tough for his winless team, but should help build towards the future.  “They’re not scared of losing,” he said, “That’s for sure.  They know they can play at a high level, now.”

Poly coach Raul Lara took responsibility for his team’s effort level, saying he didn’t feel he’d adequately prepared them for the game.  The win, coupled with Compton’s upset of Millikan, sets up a win-or-go-home trip to Compton next week.  If Poly wins, they’re in the playoffs—and if Wilson loses to Lakewood, they’d be the second seed, even.  If they lose, no matter what else happens next week, they’re out for the first time in thirty years. 

Clay said after the game, “We know we have the team—we just have to put it together.  We can’t say we’re young anymore, that excuse is old.“

Asked if his team would look more motivated next week against the Tarbabes, Lara said, “We better get motivated—if we don’t, we’re done.”