Two of the top teams in the Moore League will clash Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cabrillo as Long Beach Poly hosts Lakewood. The Jackrabbits (1-0) are fresh off a thrilling 27-21 overtime win over Serra while the Lancers will be playing in their first game after a positive COVID-19 test canceled their scheduled opener last week against St. Anthony.
“They’re doing a great job over there and our kids are fired up to play a good Moore League team,” said Poly coach Stephen Barbee.
The Jackrabbits showcased a punishing rushing attack against Serra that will be tough for any league team to stop, while Lakewood is building for the future. Head coach Scott Meyer said his team will start 18 underclassmen tonight in an interview on our podcast What Up Long Beach?!.
“It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t play last week because they’re already in the swing,” said Meyer. “The key for us is to not come out slow.”
Key questions for the game include whether Lakewood can slow down Poly’s rushing attack. Junior lineman Wendell “WoWo” Moe looked like a legitimate Division 1 prospect while paving the way last week, while Poly backs Devin Samples and Jaden Bridges combined for 253 yards. The Lancers will also have to slow down Poly’s aggressive defensive line and try to protect first-year quarterback Anthony Eyanson, a promising football and baseball player.
Word around the league was that Lakewood might be the top challenger to Poly this year, and Friday’s game will show exactly how far the Lancers have come in their rebuilding process, having already taken a huge step forward last year with their first playoff win in a decade.
We’ll have live update from the field as well as all the other local games.
