The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Long Beach Poly has enjoyed a run of revitalized success under head coach Stephen Barbee, whose Jackrabbits are 31-7 over the last three years, hitting double-digit wins each season. After a Division 4 CIF-SS championship in 2021, Poly has been 20-3 over the last two seasons, sitting right on the Division 1/2 bubble as one of the best public school programs in California.
This year’s Poly team is packed with talent, but the Jackrabbits are short on experience and on veteran leadership, something they had plenty of over the last three seasons.
“We’ve been blessed to have veteran teams the last couple of years,” said Barbee, whose squad graduated 38 seniors last year. “With a younger team you have to manage your expectations and really focus on teaching consistency from film study to practice to individual and team drills. We’ve been working on that–we’ve had great days from the offense and the defense, we’re just working to put them together back to back throughout this Fall training camp.”
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It’s an unusually thin senior class for the Jackrabbits, with just one or two graduating players likely to start on either side of the ball. One thing Barbee has emphasized in his time coaching Poly is that leadership is not only the burden of seniors–an edict that will be tested this upcoming season.
“I’ve said since getting here that you don’t need to be a senior to lead,” he said. “We do have some strong senior leaders this year–but we also have some strong junior and sophomore leaders.”
One of those seniors is pass-catcher Ezekiel Orozco, who had a strong junior campaign for the Jackrabbits. Orozco will be the senior on a loaded wideout group that includes star junior Kamarie Smith, as well as Julius “JuJu” Johnson and transfers Zion Anderson and Jayden Coley, among others.
“It’s about stepping up and making sure this team’s up to the standard, because we have a big standard at Poly,” said Orozco. “Making sure everyone is accountable and responsible.”
Orozco also said he isn’t worried about receivers letting selfishness get in the way of the team.
“Everybody’s gonna get the ball, and we’re all playmakers so once we do we’re going to score,” he said. “But none of us are selfish–we all want to see each other eat too.”
With so many new faces, there are a number of unanswered questions for Barbee and his coaches. On offense, the big question is: who will be throwing those receivers the ball? Little-used returner Deuce Jefferson is joined by transfers Colin Creason and Legend Galeai, and Barbee said all three will get reps during Poly’s scrimmage this week as they sort out a starter for next week. Running back will be another question mark early as Tristan Ventura and Harry Johnson look to step up–as will state frosh sprint star Ben Harris, who will also see plenty of time at slot receiver.
The line up front is talented but thin, with several returners but only one senior in the top six rotation. Savion Day, Anthony Rodriguez, Tyler Gaines, Mathies To, and Jaden Bible are the more experienced players, and freshman Sammy Vai looks like the best incoming ninth grade lineman at Poly in a decade. Vai has drawn favorable comparisons to Jason “Pops” Fao, who started on the defensive line as a freshman.
Defensively, it’s much the same story. The skills are full of young, experienced, proven talent. Cornerbacks Dontae “Tae” Wright (soph), Julius “JuJu” Johnson (soph) and Deon Jackson (junior) are as good as anyone anywhere, and carry a boatload of scholarship offers to boot. Safeties Jonathan Weston and Cash Quiroz will bring senior leadership with the talented youngsters.
Like the offense, the questions are up front–Poly’s defensive line will be big, but there’s not much depth behind Legend Galeai, Ian Douglas, Toa Tamasoa, Pierce Tusa, and Dalu Akpamgbo. Linebackers Elijah Pouli, Damien Matau, and Jordan Moreno will have to get experience and veteran savvy in a hurry as well.
Expect the Jackrabbits’ special teams to be a strength, with Jonas Mendoza back at kicker and multiple big-boot options at punter, as well as one of the best return groups in the state.
Barbee said he’s confident in his team’s talent level and looks forward to watching them develop this season.
“I feel our ones can go against anybody that we’re playing and be successful, but it’s about managing the workload and stressing the fundamentals with the newer players,” he said.
As usual, the Jackrabbits will be tested by a tough nonleague schedule, facing four programs who will enter the season in the top 15 in the state with a road trip to Folsom, a home game against Lincoln, a trip to San Diego to face Serra, and then Mission Viejo at SoFi Stadium.
The Jackrabbits can also expect a major test from the ascendant Millikan Rams in the Moore League, who will put Poly’s 15-year league win streak to the test on October 11.
“It’s our hardest schedule since I’ve been here, top to bottom,” said Barbee. “It’s great to see our league year after year continue to get stronger–all of the coaches have done an incredible job of keeping kids in Long Beach and getting better every year. We’ll be tested by our schedule for sure, but it’s going to make us better come playoff time.”
Long Beach Poly 2024 Schedule
*Home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium
*All games 7pm unless otherwise indicated
8/23 @ Folsom
8/30 vs. Lincoln
9/7 vs. Serra (Honor Bowl in San Diego)
9/13 BYE
9/20 vs. Jordan
9/27 vs. Lakewood
10/4 @ Mission Viejo (SoFi Stadium)
10/11 @ Millikan
10/18 @ Wilson
10/25 vs. Cabrillo
11/1 @ Compton (Compton College)
Long Beach Poly Projected Starters
Offense
QB: Deuce Jefferson, Jr. / Colin Creason, Jr. / Legend Galeai, Jr.
RB: Tristan Ventura, Jr. / Ben Harris, So. / Harry Johnson, Jr.
OL: Anthony Rodriguez, Jr.
OL: Tyler Gaines, Jr.
OL: Sammy Vai, Fr.
OL: Jaden Bible, Jr. / Mathies To, Sr.
OL: Savion Day, Jr.
WR: Ezekiel Orozco, Sr. / Julius “JuJu” Johnson, So.
WR: Kamarie Smith, Jr. / Kymere Smith, So.
WR: Dylin Bruce, So. / Ben Harris, So.
WR: Zion Anderson, Fr. / Jayden Coley, So.
TE/WR: Jaden Hernandez, Jr.
Defense
DL: Legend Galeai, Jr. / Donovan Davis, Jr.
DL: Pierce Tusa, Jr. / Ian Douglas, So.
DL: Toa Tamasoa, Jr.
DL: Dalu Akpamgbo, Jr.
LB: Jordan Moreno, Jr.
LB: Damien Matau, Sr.
LB: Elijah Pouli, Sr.
DB: Donte “Tae” Wright, So.
DB: Julius “JuJu” Johnson, So.
DB: Deon Jackson, Jr.
DB: Jonathan Weston, Sr.
DB: Cash Quiroz, Sr.
Special Teams
K: Jonas Mendoza, So.
P: Legend Galeai, Jr. / Jaden Hernandez, Jr.
LS: Ezekiel Orozco, Sr.
Holder: Colin Creason, Jr.
PR: Julius “JuJu” Johnson, So. / Kamarie Smith, Jr.
KR: Jaylen McNiel, Jr. / Ben Harris, So. / Julius “JuJu” Johnson, So. / Kamarie Smith, Jr.
