at? One of the winningest schools in Florida High School Football history?!
here in so cal it IS a big game and the papers are covering it big time - and here is what was said - if this helps:
L.A. Times:
The biggest football game of the season has arrived. Only it's a week ahead of schedule and 400 miles closer to home.
Mission Viejo will have the opportunity to prove it's the best high school team in California tonight, when the Diablos, ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, meet second-ranked Long Beach Poly at Long Beach Cabrillo High in a nationally televised game at 7:30.
Football fans thought the big game wouldn't come until Oct. 9, when Mission Viejo traveled to Concord De La Salle to play the Spartans, who had a national-record 151-game winning streak entering the season.
But De La Salle lost its opener in Seattle to Bellevue (Wash.), then saw its record fall to 0-2-1 with a 30-13 loss to visiting Clovis West and a 7-7 tie with host Salinas Palma.
Before the Spartans could record their first victory of the season — 49-0 over San Jose Mitty last week — Mission Viejo (3-0) and Poly (3-0) climbed into the top two spots in the state rankings.
"The De La Salle game still has a lot of importance, but we have another big game first," Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson said.
It would be difficult to look past Long Beach Poly no matter what opponent was coming next.
The Jackrabbits, producers of more NFL players than any high school in the country, have reached the Southern Section Division I championship game in six of the last seven seasons, including last year, when they lost to Los Angeles Loyola, 21-17.
Poly is also the last Southland team to play De La Salle, losing home-and-away games in 2001 and 2002.
"They've played their best in the big games over the years," Johnson said of the Jackrabbits, who lost by one point, 28-27, at Mission Viejo last season after a failed two-point conversion late in the game. "They've always got the speed and always have the big-play possibilities."
Poly, ranked No. 5 in the nation by USA Today, has 10 starters back, including speedy receiver Desean Jackson, who caught two touchdown passes in last season's title game.
The Diablos, ranked No. 3 in the country, are led by USC-bound quarterback Mark Sanchez. He'll face one of the region's fastest defensive backfields, which rarely changes from man-to-man coverage.
Poly Coach Raul Lara said providing some resistance against Sanchez and the Diablos' massive offensive line will be his team's biggest challenge.
"We're not playing that well on defense," Lara said. "Hopefully, we can at least stop them a couple of times."
WHEN MISSION VIEJO HAS THE BALL
The Diablos scored twice against Poly last year on double-reverse passes, but without offensive playmaker Marty Tadman, who is now at Boise State, they probably will rely on their offensive line — three linemen weigh more than 300 pounds — to pave the way. The beneficiary will be running back Chane Moline, a 230-pound junior who scored on an 88-yard run against Poly last season. But don't expect quarterback Mark Sanchez to hand off the entire game. He'll probably keep looking for tight end Konrad Reuland, a 6-foot-6 junior who is the team's leading receiver.
WHEN LONG BEACH POLY HAS THE BALL
Identifying the greatest offensive threat might depend on who is under center for the Jackrabbits. Cruz Parsons threw for 2,548 yards and 28 touchdowns last season but has received less playing time than tonight's scheduled starter, fellow senior Theo Scott. Scott's best showing came two weeks ago, when he replaced Parsons after the second offensive series against Clovis West. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 overtime victory. Scott is considered a more dangerous runner than Parsons, something that should come in handy against Mission Viejo's strong pass rush.
MISSION VIEJO'S KEYS TO VICTORY
The Diablos need to move the chains and limit Poly's number of offensive possessions. Sanchez's completion percentage is slightly down from last season and he needs to be accurate against the Jackrabbits, who can turn an overthrown pass into a defensive touchdown quicker than any team. The defense must also pressure Poly's quarterback.
LONG BEACH POLY'S KEYS TO VICTORY
The Jackrabbits can't turn the ball over, especially on their side of the field, or commit penalties because they are being over aggressive. Already giving up an average of 23 points, Poly needs to make Mission Viejo work for its points. Linebacker William Alo also needs to tackle well, especially against Moline, who can be a load to bring down once he breaks into the secondary.
*********************************************
Long Beach Press Telegram:
'Rabbits on a mission vs. Diablos
Poly hopes to fix mistakes it made one year ago
By Louis Johnson
Staff Writer
The Poly High football team walked off the field last year at Mission Viejo knowing that its mental mistakes and lack of execution were the main reasons for its heartbreaking 28-27 loss.
When the two nationally ranked teams hook up again tonight at 7 at Cabrillo High for the most anticipated nonleague game in the state this season, once again the onus will be on the Jackrabbits to avoid the kind of miscues that the Diablos almost always capitalize on.
"Last year, we had them, and we let them off the hook because we failed to execute," said Poly coach Raul Lara, who saw his team suffer two blocked extra points, miss a 23-yard field goal and fail to convert on a pair of 2-point conversions against Mission Viejo.
"That's about the only thing that was disappointing about our performance in that game. I was proud of the kids and how hard they played. But if we don't give up some of those big plays and execute a little better, we probably walk out of there with a win." <!-- cdaFreeFormDetailByName.strSQL = FreeForm_GetTextBySectionIDPaperID @Name = 'ArticleAd', @PaperID = '204', @SectionID = '28780', @ArticleID = '2437666', @Filter = 'Section', @LiveFilter = '1', @DateTimeContext = '10/1/2004 3:26:23 PM' --><!-- ArticleAd not found -->
Putting themselves in position to walk away with a victory tonight against the USA Today nationally third-ranked Diablos (3-0) doesn't figure to be as easy as it was a year ago for the Jackrabbits (3-0), who are fifth in the aforementioned publication's national rankings.
Mission Viejo has a host of talented returnees from its 13-1 squad in 2003, including an offensive unit that most consider to be the best and most balanced in the state. USC recruit Mark Sanchez is the premier quarterback on the West Coast, and he and star junior running back Chane Moline are the keys to an offense that has scored 50 or more points in two of its first three games.
However, the Diablos' main strength is at the line of scrimmage, the one area that most coaches believe determines the outcome of a game. Ohio State-bound mammoth tackle Kevin Bemoll (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) anchors an offensive line that is big, experienced and strong at the point of attack. On the other side of the ball, Mission Viejo has a pair of Division I recruits at defensive end in 6-3, 250-pound Nick Reed (Oregon) and 6-5, 240-pound Ryan Williams (Ohio State).
"The bad thing for us is that they have a lot of guys back on both lines, and they both look better and stronger," Lara said. "Their defensive line looks like one of the best I've seen in the long time, and their offensive line is one of the best in Southern California. So that concerns me. Sanchez is very precise, and he's the best quarterback that I've seen in a long time. And Moline is just a big-time player who makes big-time plays in big-time games. So we've got our work cut out for us."
While Mission Viejo figures to have its share of advantages on the field, it also has a few matchup concerns of its own. The Jackrabbits have two solid quarterbacks in seniors Theo Scott and Cruz Parsons, who rotate and present different challenges to a defense when leading the team.
Both have the luxury of throwing to what's considered the fastest and best group of receivers in the state, led by senior All-American candidate Desean Jackson and standout juniors Terrance Austin and Travon Patterson. In addition, junior tailback Troy Guthrie is coming off a career-best 155-yard outing in Poly's 28-21 victory over St. Paul last week and is emerging as a force at that position.
"We're in for a big challenge because they are a very, very good team and have a lot of speed," Diablos coach Bob Johnson said. "Poly always seems to play great in big games … They're used to them. They love them, and I expect them to play great again. Last year, we were lucky to get out of that game with them alive. We trick-played them to death and tried to contain their speed, and we came up with a win. But I was very impressed with their coaching staff and their kids, and I can't say that about everybody we play."
Mission Viejo scored twice off the seven trick plays it ran against Poly in last year's encounter, including a 15-yard touchdown reception by Sanchez from wideout Marty Tadman late in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning score.
Lara said his defense can't afford those kinds of lapses in this game or allow Moline, who has a penchant for bouncing off tacklers and breaking big gains, to run wild. "We have to stop the run … if we don't, then they can play-action off of it, and it makes their passing game that much better," Lara said. "As far as the trick plays are concerned, we just have to be disciplined and take care of our own responsibilities. If we do that, then we should be OK. But if a kid tries to do too much and take on more than his responsibility, that's how we can get in a little trouble."
******************************************************
Orange County Register
By DAN ALBANO
The Orange County Register
It's a Tuesday afternoon at Long Beach Poly and school is letting out. A security guard in front of a heavily secured gate asks students sitting against a wall if they have rides home.
"I'm just trying to keep you safe," the security officer says to a female student, whose focus then turns toward the rough stretch of Atlantic Avenue in front of her.
A day earlier at Mission Viejo, there was no sight of security near a side entrance to its sprawling campus. The most intimidating guards were clusters of towering eucalyptus trees.
"There's a difference," Long Beach Poly football coach Raul Lara said of the schools' environments.
"Southern California promise and The LBC (Long Beach City)," Long Beach Poly athletic director Joe Carlson called it.
But the schools' exteriors also share a key similarity. Neither tells the entire story of the schools' powerhouse football programs, which clash tonight at Cabrillo High in west Long Beach (7 p.m.) in a nonleague game with national-title ramifications.
'SURVIVORS'
Poly's exterior is the easier to misread. The school is located in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods that is plagued by gangs.
"It's very easy to go, 'Oh, my gosh,'" said veteran track coach and football assistant Don Norford of the campus' exterior look.
Also at a quick glance, some of the school's other features seem like obstacles to success. Its population is multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and crowded with 4,800 students.
"Poly has all the characteristics that are supposed to be a death sentence for a school," Principal Shawn Ashley said.
But the school has blazed a glorious football tradition by turning its socio-economic challenges into strengths.
The tough neighborhoods have made the football program a safe haven for players to seek refuge from gangs. Former Long Beach Poly running back Leonard Russell grew up about 2 miles from the campus and knows about finding his focus in football.
"It's an escape - definitely," said Russell, the 1991 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year who played six pro seasons. "Football puts their focus on something else and gives them a way out."
It gave Lara a way out. The former Long Beach Poly football player grew up around gangs on the west side of the city but credits football with providing him the direction that led him to coaching and his other job as a Los Angeles County probation officer.
"If it wasn't for playing football, I wouldn't be where I'm at today," he said.
The program's rich tradition is another lure. It has produced about 50 players who have played in the NFL, Norford said.
Ashley believes many youth in the area grow up idolizing Long Beach Poly football players.
The program's tradition creates a level of expectations that pushes players to work and stay in line, Russell said. And if they forget, there are constant reminders around campus like the football jerseys in the trophy case and photographs from the 1960s in the film room.
"Guys try to come in and uphold it," former Poly running back Hershel Dennis, now at USC, said of the tradition. "There's a lot of pride taken in Poly. There are alot of great ones who came out of there."
There also is a theory that the rough neighborhoods some of the players come from shape the way they play.
"In many cases, they are tougher kids," Ashley said. "They are survivors."
But they've not necessarily been hardened by their circumstances. Recruiting expert Greg Biggins of Student Sports ranks the Long Beach Poly players among the most genuine players he has dealt with. "They're real," Biggins said.
"The kids have seen a lot and it helps them understand what's going on," Norford said. "We live more in the real life."
VIDEO JUNKIES
But the pristine, neatly-manicured exterior of Mission Viejo's campus also is a misleading guide to the school's football program in some ways.
Coach Bob Johnson trumpets the experience of his coaching staff and its roll-up-your-sleeves-and-work approach as the program's greatest strength.
"We get the formula," he said. "We work hard."
The staff includes Johnson's longtime associate, Marty Spalding, as the offensive line coach.
Defensive backs and tight end coach Mark Royster, defensive line coach Mike Piel and receivers coach Scott Miller all played in the NFL. Only Johnson, Spalding and outside linebackers and running backs coach Bob Bosanko teach at Mission Viejo. The rest come from professions such as real estate, sales, construction, education or probation work.
"It's as good as anywhere," Mission Viejo boys athletic director Bill Smith said of the staff. "(Players) are going to be coached at just about everything they do."
The staff places an emphasis on using videotape as a learning tool. Practices are filmed and studied afterward. Players also receive scout tapes of opponents each week.
This week, senior offensive guard/defensive tackle Chase Moline received tapes - offensive and defensive - from his coaches of Long Beach Poly's offense from its first three games that even included descriptions of each play.
"We study all the time," said Moline, the Diablos' lone two-way starter.
And in many ways, the program is a reflection of the coaching staff.
"They're highly competitive," said Bret Johnson, the team's offensive coordinator and the oldest son of the coach.
And while Long Beach Poly is known for producing players with speed, Mission Viejo is known for playing a physical style of football, especially when it comes to running the ball.
"They win by being tougher up front," said Biggins of Student Sports.
Smith said another strength of the Mission Viejo program is the amount of parental support. The school's booster club has raised money to help pay for some of the coaches for two freshmen teams, along with sophomore and junior varsity squads.
The boosters also raise money to feed players and outfit them with shirts, sweats and bags. The team's end-of-year banquet is on par with that of a collegiate program, booster president Wes Williams said.
"They spoil us," Moline confirmed.
Lara said parental support at Long Beach Poly could be better. He went to a booster club meeting earlier this week and about 30 parents attended.
FRIENDLY IN THE END
The Diablos and Jackrabbits go into tonight's contest as the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams in the state and the third- and fifth-ranked teams in the nation. And these two high school football titans know a thing or two about one another.
Mission Viejo squeezed out a one-point victory in last year's meeting, thanks in part to some tricky play calling.
The teams also faced off over the summer in a passing tournament at USC. Biggins remembered that Mission Viejo had awnings for shade and plenty of food and drink, including roast duck. Biggins said Long Beach Poly didn't have as much.
Mission Viejo won the tournament, but there were signs that tonight's game isn't as bitter of a rivalry for the Diablos as say, Los Alamitos or Mater Dei. Afterward, players from Poly and Mission Viejo took in a rap concert together.
"That's what is unique about football," Lara said. "You're going to play football and (these) differences don't matter."
L.A. Times:
The biggest football game of the season has arrived. Only it's a week ahead of schedule and 400 miles closer to home.
Mission Viejo will have the opportunity to prove it's the best high school team in California tonight, when the Diablos, ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, meet second-ranked Long Beach Poly at Long Beach Cabrillo High in a nationally televised game at 7:30.
Football fans thought the big game wouldn't come until Oct. 9, when Mission Viejo traveled to Concord De La Salle to play the Spartans, who had a national-record 151-game winning streak entering the season.
But De La Salle lost its opener in Seattle to Bellevue (Wash.), then saw its record fall to 0-2-1 with a 30-13 loss to visiting Clovis West and a 7-7 tie with host Salinas Palma.
Before the Spartans could record their first victory of the season — 49-0 over San Jose Mitty last week — Mission Viejo (3-0) and Poly (3-0) climbed into the top two spots in the state rankings.
"The De La Salle game still has a lot of importance, but we have another big game first," Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson said.
It would be difficult to look past Long Beach Poly no matter what opponent was coming next.
The Jackrabbits, producers of more NFL players than any high school in the country, have reached the Southern Section Division I championship game in six of the last seven seasons, including last year, when they lost to Los Angeles Loyola, 21-17.
Poly is also the last Southland team to play De La Salle, losing home-and-away games in 2001 and 2002.
"They've played their best in the big games over the years," Johnson said of the Jackrabbits, who lost by one point, 28-27, at Mission Viejo last season after a failed two-point conversion late in the game. "They've always got the speed and always have the big-play possibilities."
Poly, ranked No. 5 in the nation by USA Today, has 10 starters back, including speedy receiver Desean Jackson, who caught two touchdown passes in last season's title game.
The Diablos, ranked No. 3 in the country, are led by USC-bound quarterback Mark Sanchez. He'll face one of the region's fastest defensive backfields, which rarely changes from man-to-man coverage.
Poly Coach Raul Lara said providing some resistance against Sanchez and the Diablos' massive offensive line will be his team's biggest challenge.
"We're not playing that well on defense," Lara said. "Hopefully, we can at least stop them a couple of times."
WHEN MISSION VIEJO HAS THE BALL
The Diablos scored twice against Poly last year on double-reverse passes, but without offensive playmaker Marty Tadman, who is now at Boise State, they probably will rely on their offensive line — three linemen weigh more than 300 pounds — to pave the way. The beneficiary will be running back Chane Moline, a 230-pound junior who scored on an 88-yard run against Poly last season. But don't expect quarterback Mark Sanchez to hand off the entire game. He'll probably keep looking for tight end Konrad Reuland, a 6-foot-6 junior who is the team's leading receiver.
WHEN LONG BEACH POLY HAS THE BALL
Identifying the greatest offensive threat might depend on who is under center for the Jackrabbits. Cruz Parsons threw for 2,548 yards and 28 touchdowns last season but has received less playing time than tonight's scheduled starter, fellow senior Theo Scott. Scott's best showing came two weeks ago, when he replaced Parsons after the second offensive series against Clovis West. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 overtime victory. Scott is considered a more dangerous runner than Parsons, something that should come in handy against Mission Viejo's strong pass rush.
MISSION VIEJO'S KEYS TO VICTORY
The Diablos need to move the chains and limit Poly's number of offensive possessions. Sanchez's completion percentage is slightly down from last season and he needs to be accurate against the Jackrabbits, who can turn an overthrown pass into a defensive touchdown quicker than any team. The defense must also pressure Poly's quarterback.
LONG BEACH POLY'S KEYS TO VICTORY
The Jackrabbits can't turn the ball over, especially on their side of the field, or commit penalties because they are being over aggressive. Already giving up an average of 23 points, Poly needs to make Mission Viejo work for its points. Linebacker William Alo also needs to tackle well, especially against Moline, who can be a load to bring down once he breaks into the secondary.
*********************************************
Long Beach Press Telegram:
'Rabbits on a mission vs. Diablos
Poly hopes to fix mistakes it made one year ago
By Louis Johnson
Staff Writer
The Poly High football team walked off the field last year at Mission Viejo knowing that its mental mistakes and lack of execution were the main reasons for its heartbreaking 28-27 loss.
When the two nationally ranked teams hook up again tonight at 7 at Cabrillo High for the most anticipated nonleague game in the state this season, once again the onus will be on the Jackrabbits to avoid the kind of miscues that the Diablos almost always capitalize on.
"Last year, we had them, and we let them off the hook because we failed to execute," said Poly coach Raul Lara, who saw his team suffer two blocked extra points, miss a 23-yard field goal and fail to convert on a pair of 2-point conversions against Mission Viejo.
"That's about the only thing that was disappointing about our performance in that game. I was proud of the kids and how hard they played. But if we don't give up some of those big plays and execute a little better, we probably walk out of there with a win." <!-- cdaFreeFormDetailByName.strSQL = FreeForm_GetTextBySectionIDPaperID @Name = 'ArticleAd', @PaperID = '204', @SectionID = '28780', @ArticleID = '2437666', @Filter = 'Section', @LiveFilter = '1', @DateTimeContext = '10/1/2004 3:26:23 PM' --><!-- ArticleAd not found -->
Putting themselves in position to walk away with a victory tonight against the USA Today nationally third-ranked Diablos (3-0) doesn't figure to be as easy as it was a year ago for the Jackrabbits (3-0), who are fifth in the aforementioned publication's national rankings.
Mission Viejo has a host of talented returnees from its 13-1 squad in 2003, including an offensive unit that most consider to be the best and most balanced in the state. USC recruit Mark Sanchez is the premier quarterback on the West Coast, and he and star junior running back Chane Moline are the keys to an offense that has scored 50 or more points in two of its first three games.
However, the Diablos' main strength is at the line of scrimmage, the one area that most coaches believe determines the outcome of a game. Ohio State-bound mammoth tackle Kevin Bemoll (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) anchors an offensive line that is big, experienced and strong at the point of attack. On the other side of the ball, Mission Viejo has a pair of Division I recruits at defensive end in 6-3, 250-pound Nick Reed (Oregon) and 6-5, 240-pound Ryan Williams (Ohio State).
"The bad thing for us is that they have a lot of guys back on both lines, and they both look better and stronger," Lara said. "Their defensive line looks like one of the best I've seen in the long time, and their offensive line is one of the best in Southern California. So that concerns me. Sanchez is very precise, and he's the best quarterback that I've seen in a long time. And Moline is just a big-time player who makes big-time plays in big-time games. So we've got our work cut out for us."
While Mission Viejo figures to have its share of advantages on the field, it also has a few matchup concerns of its own. The Jackrabbits have two solid quarterbacks in seniors Theo Scott and Cruz Parsons, who rotate and present different challenges to a defense when leading the team.
Both have the luxury of throwing to what's considered the fastest and best group of receivers in the state, led by senior All-American candidate Desean Jackson and standout juniors Terrance Austin and Travon Patterson. In addition, junior tailback Troy Guthrie is coming off a career-best 155-yard outing in Poly's 28-21 victory over St. Paul last week and is emerging as a force at that position.
"We're in for a big challenge because they are a very, very good team and have a lot of speed," Diablos coach Bob Johnson said. "Poly always seems to play great in big games … They're used to them. They love them, and I expect them to play great again. Last year, we were lucky to get out of that game with them alive. We trick-played them to death and tried to contain their speed, and we came up with a win. But I was very impressed with their coaching staff and their kids, and I can't say that about everybody we play."
Mission Viejo scored twice off the seven trick plays it ran against Poly in last year's encounter, including a 15-yard touchdown reception by Sanchez from wideout Marty Tadman late in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning score.
Lara said his defense can't afford those kinds of lapses in this game or allow Moline, who has a penchant for bouncing off tacklers and breaking big gains, to run wild. "We have to stop the run … if we don't, then they can play-action off of it, and it makes their passing game that much better," Lara said. "As far as the trick plays are concerned, we just have to be disciplined and take care of our own responsibilities. If we do that, then we should be OK. But if a kid tries to do too much and take on more than his responsibility, that's how we can get in a little trouble."
******************************************************
Orange County Register
By DAN ALBANO
The Orange County Register
It's a Tuesday afternoon at Long Beach Poly and school is letting out. A security guard in front of a heavily secured gate asks students sitting against a wall if they have rides home.
"I'm just trying to keep you safe," the security officer says to a female student, whose focus then turns toward the rough stretch of Atlantic Avenue in front of her.
A day earlier at Mission Viejo, there was no sight of security near a side entrance to its sprawling campus. The most intimidating guards were clusters of towering eucalyptus trees.
"There's a difference," Long Beach Poly football coach Raul Lara said of the schools' environments.
"Southern California promise and The LBC (Long Beach City)," Long Beach Poly athletic director Joe Carlson called it.
But the schools' exteriors also share a key similarity. Neither tells the entire story of the schools' powerhouse football programs, which clash tonight at Cabrillo High in west Long Beach (7 p.m.) in a nonleague game with national-title ramifications.
'SURVIVORS'
Poly's exterior is the easier to misread. The school is located in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods that is plagued by gangs.
"It's very easy to go, 'Oh, my gosh,'" said veteran track coach and football assistant Don Norford of the campus' exterior look.
Also at a quick glance, some of the school's other features seem like obstacles to success. Its population is multi-lingual, multi-ethnic and crowded with 4,800 students.
"Poly has all the characteristics that are supposed to be a death sentence for a school," Principal Shawn Ashley said.
But the school has blazed a glorious football tradition by turning its socio-economic challenges into strengths.
The tough neighborhoods have made the football program a safe haven for players to seek refuge from gangs. Former Long Beach Poly running back Leonard Russell grew up about 2 miles from the campus and knows about finding his focus in football.
"It's an escape - definitely," said Russell, the 1991 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year who played six pro seasons. "Football puts their focus on something else and gives them a way out."
It gave Lara a way out. The former Long Beach Poly football player grew up around gangs on the west side of the city but credits football with providing him the direction that led him to coaching and his other job as a Los Angeles County probation officer.
"If it wasn't for playing football, I wouldn't be where I'm at today," he said.
The program's rich tradition is another lure. It has produced about 50 players who have played in the NFL, Norford said.
Ashley believes many youth in the area grow up idolizing Long Beach Poly football players.
The program's tradition creates a level of expectations that pushes players to work and stay in line, Russell said. And if they forget, there are constant reminders around campus like the football jerseys in the trophy case and photographs from the 1960s in the film room.
"Guys try to come in and uphold it," former Poly running back Hershel Dennis, now at USC, said of the tradition. "There's a lot of pride taken in Poly. There are alot of great ones who came out of there."
There also is a theory that the rough neighborhoods some of the players come from shape the way they play.
"In many cases, they are tougher kids," Ashley said. "They are survivors."
But they've not necessarily been hardened by their circumstances. Recruiting expert Greg Biggins of Student Sports ranks the Long Beach Poly players among the most genuine players he has dealt with. "They're real," Biggins said.
"The kids have seen a lot and it helps them understand what's going on," Norford said. "We live more in the real life."
VIDEO JUNKIES
But the pristine, neatly-manicured exterior of Mission Viejo's campus also is a misleading guide to the school's football program in some ways.
Coach Bob Johnson trumpets the experience of his coaching staff and its roll-up-your-sleeves-and-work approach as the program's greatest strength.
"We get the formula," he said. "We work hard."
The staff includes Johnson's longtime associate, Marty Spalding, as the offensive line coach.
Defensive backs and tight end coach Mark Royster, defensive line coach Mike Piel and receivers coach Scott Miller all played in the NFL. Only Johnson, Spalding and outside linebackers and running backs coach Bob Bosanko teach at Mission Viejo. The rest come from professions such as real estate, sales, construction, education or probation work.
"It's as good as anywhere," Mission Viejo boys athletic director Bill Smith said of the staff. "(Players) are going to be coached at just about everything they do."
The staff places an emphasis on using videotape as a learning tool. Practices are filmed and studied afterward. Players also receive scout tapes of opponents each week.
This week, senior offensive guard/defensive tackle Chase Moline received tapes - offensive and defensive - from his coaches of Long Beach Poly's offense from its first three games that even included descriptions of each play.
"We study all the time," said Moline, the Diablos' lone two-way starter.
And in many ways, the program is a reflection of the coaching staff.
"They're highly competitive," said Bret Johnson, the team's offensive coordinator and the oldest son of the coach.
And while Long Beach Poly is known for producing players with speed, Mission Viejo is known for playing a physical style of football, especially when it comes to running the ball.
"They win by being tougher up front," said Biggins of Student Sports.
Smith said another strength of the Mission Viejo program is the amount of parental support. The school's booster club has raised money to help pay for some of the coaches for two freshmen teams, along with sophomore and junior varsity squads.
The boosters also raise money to feed players and outfit them with shirts, sweats and bags. The team's end-of-year banquet is on par with that of a collegiate program, booster president Wes Williams said.
"They spoil us," Moline confirmed.
Lara said parental support at Long Beach Poly could be better. He went to a booster club meeting earlier this week and about 30 parents attended.
FRIENDLY IN THE END
The Diablos and Jackrabbits go into tonight's contest as the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams in the state and the third- and fifth-ranked teams in the nation. And these two high school football titans know a thing or two about one another.
Mission Viejo squeezed out a one-point victory in last year's meeting, thanks in part to some tricky play calling.
The teams also faced off over the summer in a passing tournament at USC. Biggins remembered that Mission Viejo had awnings for shade and plenty of food and drink, including roast duck. Biggins said Long Beach Poly didn't have as much.
Mission Viejo won the tournament, but there were signs that tonight's game isn't as bitter of a rivalry for the Diablos as say, Los Alamitos or Mater Dei. Afterward, players from Poly and Mission Viejo took in a rap concert together.
"That's what is unique about football," Lara said. "You're going to play football and (these) differences don't matter."
by the way, i'd wager my life savings you could fly Shrink to an airport in the So Cal area and without looking at a map, 5 hours later he'd STILL be no closer to either school then when he landed - even with NO traffic on the freeways. he'd have a better chance of finding Poly even though MVHS is closer to the freeway (but tucked away so he'd never find it)
Right or wrong
The gloves are off when it comes to betting on high school sports and have been for a long time. In many areas betting Friday night high school football with locals is big business. You can also bet HS basketball, not to mention Little League baseball, National Spelling Bee events, and the Soap Box Derby etc.. Welcome to the information age.
wil.
The gloves are off when it comes to betting on high school sports and have been for a long time. In many areas betting Friday night high school football with locals is big business. You can also bet HS basketball, not to mention Little League baseball, National Spelling Bee events, and the Soap Box Derby etc.. Welcome to the information age.
wil.
