The questions have been flying around town from football players, coaches and fans: what does Long Beach Poly look like this year?
It’s a fair question. The Jackrabbits graduated almost all of their starters from last year’s team, which was a first-round Division 1 playoff exit-caliber squad. Poly’s 2019 hopes are pinned on the shoulders of many young, unproven players. That doesn’t mean they’re without talent, of course.
“We don’t have a lot of guys who are household names yet,” said Poly coach Stephen Barbee. “That doesn’t mean they won’t be household names.”
Their first chance to prove themselves comes Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at Moorpark High as Poly will face Punahou from Hawaii as part of the Moorpark Cali Classic.
The Jackrabbits have yet to play a game, while the Buffanblu have played four, going 4-0 on the islands and earning the No. 2 ranking in Hawaii. Poly looks to have the advantage in speed, while Punahou has a sizable line that will test Poly’s front on both sides of the ball.
We’ll have live updates from Moorpark as the Jackrabbits open their season.
