The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial
To say it was a memorable 2023 for the Long Beach Poly baseball team would be a gross over-simplification.
The Jackrabbits are one of the winningest teams in state history and have produced more two dozen Major Leaguers, as many as any other high school in California. But in the century-plus history of the program, it’s unlikely that any rival the highs and lows of 2023. On the field, the team went 24-5, won a historic undefeated Moore League title, and made its first appearance in the new CIF State baseball playoffs. Off the field? It was a little complicated. Head coach Brent Lavoie was placed on administrative leave, then he and the school parted ways after the conclusion of the season.
Still, the focus should be on the field in high school sports, and there was plenty of action for Poly. Their undefeated run to the Moore League title was the first undefeated league title in Long Beach since Wilson did it in 1997, and the first undefeated league title for Poly since at least 1968. Their win over Jordan to clinch it was followed by a Martinelli bottle-popping ceremony and team photos with their bus driver, a Poly alum who had been following the game updates on Twitter.
“It’s surreal,” said senior and UC Irvine signee Lucas Scott. “The last time it was done was 20 something years ago? Obviously the Moore League gauntlet is very difficult, winning with one loss is an incredible feat. But going undefeated, it’s crazy. This team just handled adversity really well–we had a lot of things going on that were external things we couldn’t control. But we controlled everything we could control and I genuinely think everyone in our dugout had confidence we’d win every game we played.”
Poly would walk off two playoff wins before falling in the quarterfinals, 2-1, and then being eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs.
