Long Beach Poly football opened their 2013 season on August 30 with a win over the Crenshaw Cougars (28-15) where, for the first time, a girl scored for the varsity football team.
Last year’s season was one with a questionable 1-3 preseason, as well as Poly’s worst loss in their long history. However, the team went back to basics and returned with yet another Moore League Championship, a CIF Championship, and State runner-ups by the end of the season. Poly started this season ranked 12th in the nation and 6th in the state.
The opening kickoff by the Jackrabbits was sent high into the air and was recovered by Poly soon after Crenshaw fumbled. The following play by Crenshaw quickly intercepted it. Scoring early in the second quarter, Crenshaw put themselves on the board. Poly would come back to end the first half 8-7, Poly.
Poly came out blazing hot as they scored in their first drive of the second half and would go up 15-7. This ended late in the third quarter as Crenshaw scored and gained the two-point conversion. Senior John “Juju” Smith was then put into the running back position to wake up the Poly offense. This move seemed to work as Smith allowed Poly to score soon after.
“We had a slow start and it took us a while to get into rhythm. When the second half came, we began to feel a little more comfortable and started playing Poly football,” said senior quarterback Tai Tiedemann.
The exclamation point of the night was junior Killian Turley kicking in the point after touchdown. K. Turley, daughter of defensive coordinator Jeff Turley, is the first girl in Poly’s 106-year history to ever score points for a varsity football team at Poly.
“The best part about being on the team is that is that I am getting an opportunity to prove to everyone that with dedication and determination you can achieve any goal,” said K. Turley.
Poly is currently ranked 7th in the nation and 3rd in the state and seeks to improve on last week’s game with an even stronger start and performance against the Servite Friars last Friday at 7 p.m. at Cerritos College.
“We may have done well last year, but not winning State left us unsatisfied,” said Tiedemann. “Losing last year is our fuel to win this year.”
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