The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach is sponsored by the Aquatic Capital of America Foundation.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
The Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits were able to earn a spot in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals with a hard-fought win over Saint Joseph on Wednesday night at Cabrillo. The Jackrabbits trailed in the second half, but came from behind to pull out a 9-8 win over the Jesters.
Poly head coach Ali Landeros said that going into their next game, his team is going to try and step on the gas every quarter, playing ‘til the wheels fall off.
“The last few games we’ve definitely been a second-half team, and we don’t need to be,” he said, remaining confident in his team. ”Even when we were down, they had what it takes, and that’s what kept me going.”
The game had a pretty slow start, as both teams were feeling the pressure of the match. Each team was getting exclusions on almost every possession of the ball, with a total of six exclusions given in the first quarter. Poly started the game off with the first goal from Cailey Christen, but Saint Joseph used a 5-meter call to their advantage, tying the game 1-1 at the end of the first quarter.
As the second quarter began, the girls from Saint Joseph were locked in, using any turnover as an advantage to score. Their offense found its rhythm and managed to grab three goals in the quarter.
Two were from Elizabeth Roel, while Lily Manoz scored the third, giving the Jesters a 4-2 at halftime. Saint Joseph goalie Ava Rose was the star of the first half, collecting a number of saves to keep Poly’s offense quiet.
The second half was just as nail-biting as the first, and Poly finally stepped out and got back on the scoreboard again in the third quarter. Sequoia Newman and Marcelina Leonor both collected goals and assists for each other, cutting Poly’s deficit to 5-4 as the third quarter ended.
The fourth quarter greatly intensified, with each team battling with all they had. Starting the quarter strong, Leonor tied up the game 5-5 at the 6-minute mark. The Jesters quickly fought back with consecutive goals from Natalie Pe and Lily Munoz, taking the lead with a score of 7-5 to make things extremely nervous for the Poly crowd.
Poly hadn’t given up yet, however, as Alyssa Greenwood came in with a killer backhand, and a minute later Cailey Christen tied the knot, making it a 7-7 game going into the most tense minutes of the season.
Poly finished strong with Leslie Vargas scoring the go-ahead goal with only two minutes left in the game. Then 20 seconds later, Mikayla Shekell successfully wrapped up Poly’s win with a fourth consecutive goal for the Jackrabbits.
As Saint Joseph scored their final goal of the night, the buzzer sounded, giving Poly the 9-8 win. After a well-fought game from the Jackrabbits, they certainly got a feel for what’s to come as they continue on to the CIF-SS semifinals.
“I’m going to leave it up to them. All of the work they have been doing all these four years has been their work,” Landeros said after the girls’ victory. “We’re looking to improve [by] coming out and crashing the gates open, from point A to point Z.”.
Poly will host the semifinals against Flintridge Sacred Heart next Tuesday, hoping to earn a spot in the CIF Championship Game. The matchup will likely be back at Cabrillo High at 5 p.m.
