Teams that make a CIF-SS championship tend to have talent and grit — but they don’t always have “the Long Beach” in them.
That was the difference with Long Beach Poly in the midst of the fifth set of their CIF-SS Division 3 championship against Bishop Diego at Cerritos College. The Jackrabbits showed their heart for the city with a championship on the line, beating the Cardinals in an all-time five set battle 25-27, 25-22, 16-25, 25-14, 15-12.
“It’s just the grit, it’s the Long Beach in them,” said Poly coach Gerald Aquiningoc. “It feels amazing. I can’t even put it into words yet I haven’t processed it. It was up and down but it’s just them, they don’t give up. That fifth set when it was win or go home they went into the huddle and said ‘we’re not losing. We’re not going home without a ring.’”
The championship win was Poly’s third in girls volleyball program history and the 131st CIF-SS championship in school history which is the most of any school. It’s also the Jackrabbits’ first volleyball championship since 2010.
“Just look at this man, it’s amazing,” said Aquiningoc of the closeness of his team. The Jackrabbits boast a diverse group of girls who he describes as a family. “The bond that we have is just unbreakable and too undeniably good to lose. They did their very best today [and as the game went on] we just decided we’re not losing.”
Poly was led by Cedra Saolotoga-Talaga’s 14 kills, as well as 10 apiece from Aleeya Salima and Taimane Poe.
