The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
The562’s coverage of high school soccer is sponsored by Long Beach FC.
The Long Beach Poly girls’ soccer team has its shot at history. The Jackrabbits (18-3-1) will face Foothill (16-7-4) at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m. with the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship on the line. It would be Poly’s first girls’ soccer title since 1995 if they win it.
Tickets are $14 general admission for the whole day’s worth of games and $7 for students and children; they can be purchased here: https://gofan.co/event/3295403?schoolId=CA18900.
In the last 30 years Poly’s girls’ soccer team has produced dozens of Division 1 athletes and won several Moore League titles, but they haven’t claimed a CIFSS title. First-year head coach Angel Zavala, a Poly alum, doesn’t want his team to take this opportunity for granted.
“They get it, but I don’t know that they truly understand yet,” he said. “I think they’re going to get a taste of it and understand it, the reason why we’re called the Home of Scholars and Champions. They’re going to understand it Saturday.”
Zavala’s squad has been playing lockdown defense, having given up just one goal all playoffs with three clean sheets. He said shutting down a Foothill attack that’s put up 10 goals so far this postseason is their number one concern.
“We’ve got to continue to have our defense and middle do what we’ve been doing if we want to be successful,” he said.
The Jackrabbits have already clinched a berth in next week’s CIF State playoffs, but their sole focus right now is Saturday and a chance at a championship. Poly is 80 minutes away from raising a gold plaque and sending their big senior class off with a title.
