Long Beach Poly Routs Esperanza

Bill Pendleton called it “blue-collar workers going against thoroughbreds,” and it was hard to dispute the analogy.

The Anaheim Esperanza football coach, his team going for a third consecutive upset in the Southern Section Division I playoffs, watched a more athletic squad from top-seeded Long Beach Poly take advantage of nearly every Aztec mistake to run off with a 39-15 victory Saturday night at Long Beach Cabrillo High.

The win sends the Jackrabbits (12-1) to the championship game Friday at Angel Stadium against second-seeded Los Alamitos (12-1). It will be the seventh time in eight seasons that the Jackrabbits will play for the title. They have won three and tied for one in that span, with their last championship coming in 2001.

“They had too many good athletes for us,” said Pendleton, whose Aztecs (10-3) gave up too many big plays. “Any time they got into space, they broke for six.”

Poly converted two of Esperanza’s three first-half turnovers into touchdowns.

The sequence that sealed the Jackrabbits’ appearance in the final began when Gary Doxy intercepted a pass at the Poly 35 with seven seconds left in the first half.

Cruz Parsons then passed 10 yards to Terrence Austin, who escaped the grasp of two defenders and went down the left sideline for a 65-yard touchdown play as time expired. Michael Skvor’s extra point put Poly ahead, 28-7, and the Aztecs were toast.

“Coach [Raul Lara] told us at halftime that they were bleeding, but now they’re dead,” Austin said.

Esperanza’s first turnover led to Poly’s first score. On Esperanza’s third play from scrimmage, Laronzo Bursey returned an interception 15 yards to the Aztec 25. DeSean Jackson ran a reverse 20 yards, then two plays later Troy Guthrie scored from one yard.

Esperanza ran the ball successfully, with Rocky Taloa picking up 181 yards and two touchdowns in 27 carries. His first, of 11 yards, gave Esperanza a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.

But Poly’s big plays were too much to overcome.

After Skvor’s 62-yard punt, William Alo and Kenny Rowe tackled Taloa in the end zone for an 8-7 lead. It was the first of three safeties recorded by Poly.