Words by JJ Fiddler, Mike Guardabascio, Tyler Hendrickson; photo by John Napalan
It might feel like it’s a little early for high school football season to be starting–and it is. But Long Beach Poly was so excited to get the year started that they’re kicking it off a week before anyone else in the state, traveling to Hawaii to face Konawaena tonight, with the other Long Beach teams (and the rest of California) starting next week.
It’s looking like a special year in Long Beach, with Division 1 talent at several schools and stability among the coaching ranks, with no new head coaches this season for the first time in a decade. Every team boasts star power, and the premier programs in the Jackrabbits and Rams are both making Hawaii trips early in the year, as the Beach looks to bring winning football to a beach 2,600 miles away.
Inside our preview–the 16th year we’ve produced a comprehensive football preview–you’ll find breakdowns of every team in the city, spotlighting top players for each, as well as preview videos for all the high school teams (we’ll catch up with LBCC closer to their opener in September). We also have schedules for every team included.
Thanks to our cover guys: Ryan Pellum, Millikan; Luis Haro, Cabrillo; Elijah Lolesio-Pua, St. Anthony; Tyree McCowen, Lakewood; Hunter Houston, Wilson; Orlando Guzman, Compton; Darius Curry, Long Beach Poly; Ethan Petaia, LBCC. And a shoutout to Jordan’s Jordan Washington, who was invited but couldn’t make it–he still deserves recognition as a cover-worthy gridiron star.
Click here for our Long Beach Poly football preview and video
Click here for our Millikan football preview and video
Click here for our Lakewood football preview and video
Click here for our Wilson football preview and video
Click here for our Jordan football preview and video
Click here for our Compton football preview and video
Click here for our Cabrillo football preview and video
Click here for our St. Anthony football preview and video
Click here for our LBCC football preview and video
