It’s a game that has one of those “make or break” feelings for both teams, as Long Beach Poly and Serra prepare to face off at Veterans Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night. The game, which will be televised by Fox Sports Prime Ticket, will tell fans a lot about both teams.
For Poly (2-1), a win or a loss will make all the difference. The Jackrabbits will enter Moore League play following the game and won’t face another CIF-SS Division 1 opponent until the playoffs. For Serra (1-1) it will show Cavaliers fans whether the offense they saw in a win over San Mateo Serra was legit, or if they’ll be hampered by the problems that brought them low last week against Cathedral Catholic.
“They’re a well-coached team with a lot of great players,” said Poly coach Stephen Barbee. “They’re going to be a big challenge for us.”
The biggest challenge will be posed to Poly’s offense, which has struggled to turn the jets on, scoring just one touchdown in the last two weeks. They’ll need to be much more productive against a talented Serra team that Poly has no hope of shutting out the way they did Narbonne two weeks ago.
The two best units in the game are the Poly defense and the Serra offense–that should be where the game is decided. If Poly’s front, led by Elijah Dolphin and Chuck Taylor, can cause havoc, the Jackrabbits will be in the game. If the Jackrabbit offense struggles and the defense can’t make Serra QB Doug Brumfield uncomfortable, it could be a long night.
