Photo by Angie Yen
Eight long months of football-less life will be made worth it tonight at 7pm, when the first high school game of the season kicks off at Vet’s. And you couldn’t really ask for a better opener, since Poly and Servite are ranked number one and two, respectively, in the preseason CIF poll. It’s interesting that they’re so close in the rankings, because the two teams couldn’t be farther apart right now.
The Jackrabbits will have a new look this season—they graduated 18 starters from last year’s CIF championship team, including the entire defense. Servite on the other hand, returns most of their key players, excepting their starting running back. And, in contrast to Poly’s mid-December championship run, the Friars were bounced in the first round…by Lakewood, who Poly would go on to eliminate in the semifinals (you can check out our video of the Lakewood/Servite 35-34 overtime win by clicking here).
The best returner on the Friars’ team is Cody Fajardo, their starting quarterback and their most dynamic player. Fajardo, a first-team all-league selection in the Trinity League last year, has an accurate short/mid-range arm, and the strength to get it downfield, if less accurately. He’s also a threat running the ball, a skill he used with some success against Lakewood—if that young Poly defense doesn’t keep a man watching him, they could get burned, especially late in the game. Fajardo, though, is a real talent—two times he had his team in the two-minute drill against Lakewood last year, and those were his two best drives. He’s a natural leader on the field, and it shows; he’s backed up by stud receiver Chris Nicholls, and maybe the best offensive line in Orange County.
That line, which is of course central to everything Servite does, is hampered by a crucial injury to all-league tackle Matt Jakubiec, whose absence (due to a dislocated kneecap) could be felt if Poly spends time in the Friars backfield. They’ll need to find a way to disrupt that line, because if Fajardo gets time, he’ll be dangerous.
Defensively, the Friars are a little friendlier. Their strength is in pass defense, and it’s—ahem—unlikely that the ‘Rabbits will game plan a pass-first offense. The Friars have a legitimate weakness against the run—that’s how they lost the Lakewood game, giving up 247 yards (and three TDs) to the Lancers. If Poly can contain Fajardo, and pound the ball straight at the Friars, they should get the Moore League schedule kicked off right. We believe they can, which is why we’re picking Poly.
Get out to the game tonight at 7pm to help usher in another great year of football—you will probably be able to spot every other local coach there scouting one team or another, since nobody else is playing. If you get there early enough, say hi to one of our staff, we’re planning on showing up about around six. And if you can’t make the game for some reason, we will be posting live twitter updates (which you can see in the bottom right corner of our home page) throughout the game, and of course bringing you a highlight video and a game writeup later Thursday night.
Happy Thursday—and welcome back to football season!