Poly Dethroned

Last Thursday, November 12, Poly’s varsity football team had to forfeit three league wins over Cabrillo, Compton, and Wilson, in addition their season-opening win against the Centennial Coyotes in Arizona, due to an ineligible player.
The league forfeits left the team in a limbo of whether or not they would make it to the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 playoffs, something they had done every year since 1979.
“The seniors took it hard. It’s never happened before that. We weren’t expecting that to happen. When Coach told us we were in awe,” said senior guard Amire Rogers.
Since Poly was technically no longer in first place, the Moore League title was awarded to Wilson, whose only league loss was to Poly. The second place spot went to Lakewood, leaving Jordan, Cabrillo and Poly in a three way tie for third. The final Moore League seed was given to Jordan in an envelope draw.
Poly could have entered into the bracket as an “at-large” team. This means that Poly would ask to be entered into the playoffs. Most at-large teams are able to make the playoffs because although their records were not great, their strength of schedule can reflect that. It is speculated that since the Moore League as a whole is fairly weak, Poly would not meet the criteria for an at-large team.
“We were coming together at the end of season. If we took that to the playoffs it would have been nice,” said senior Kristian Tafao.
Because there is not much competition in the Moore League, most players have their time to shine in the playoffs. Since the opportunity for playoffs was taken away, so was many of the players’ time to show colleges and recruiting teams what they had against teams with a challenge.
“I feel bad for us seniors,” said senior wide receiver Lohia Marks. “Our season got cut short for something we as a team did not do.”
“Although I am already going to Florida State University, it really does suck seeing many of my teammates not have something to look forward to like I do,” said senior quarterback Malik Henry.
Senior receiver Jack Jones said, “Its a pretty bad situation but there isn’t much we can do about it now so all I can do is get ready for college and further my career there.”
Although the underclassmen players of the team will have their chance to make it to the postseason next year, many were still heavily affected by the shock of not making it this year.
“Many of the seniors are like my brothers,” said junior defensive back Joshua Talbott. “And not being able to get a championship ring with them is something I will never get over.”
Junior linebacker Joshua Brown is using the forfeiture as motivation for next year. “Next year me and my team will come out motivated and use this as energy to power us up for the 2016 season and we’ll come out strong.”
“I felt like the seniors played best to their ability. We celebrated out there and had fun,” said senior receiver Jonah Alfaro.
The upset over playoffs caused an uproar on social media with players and supporters of the team voicing their opinions load and clear. The hashtag #FreePoly trended all over Southern California, with people who felt Poly was done wrong. Most people felt it was unfair that one person’s mistake could ruin the whole team’s chances of doing something that they felt they earned. Some also felt that it was the responsibility of CIF officials to make sure that all players are eligible since they are the ones to clear them. Others also felt like the punishment came too late for Poly to even be able to fix the problem. Other school players were shocked
“It’s unfair. We’re a public school. CIF doesn’t want public schools to succeed. We’re the only dominant public school. That’s why they took away our opportunity, in my opinion,” said senior receiver Daveon Howard.
Many non-supporters also took to the internet to voice their unpopular opinions on the matter.
“I feel we got cheated. I feel they shouldn’t take it out on us,”
said senior lineman Marverlous Lamsam.
Some people felt that Poly got the fair punishment to fit the crime and others made jokes of the matter. There was even a picture of a rabbit piñata made by Millikan High School students with “LBP Cheaters” on the front of its clothes. The picture on Twitter was taken down and the “mascot” did not make an appearance at that Friday’s game where the Jackrabbits crushed Millikan 70 to 3. But it did show that not everyone was rooting for Poly.
Long Beach Poly is a school of tradition and one of the longest traditions of playoff football has been broken. The team cannot live up to Poly’s motto of “Home of Scholars and Champions” because the opportunity was taken this year.