Category: Sports

On February 27th, LA Galaxy had an opener at 2p.m. against the New York City FC at their home stadium in Carson, The Dignity Health Sport Park. Before they started, Players and everyone in the stadium gave their respects and silence to the devastating issue that is happening in Ukraine at the moment.

As the game started 5 min in, #10 Douglas Costa almost made a half field goal but was blocked by Sean Johnson the goalkeeper for NYCFC. Costa again made another shot, but was blocked once again and fans were disappointed when they thought he was going to make that shot. Galaxy had opportunities to make goals but lucky for NYCFC the shots were saved.

#9 Kevin Cobral took the ball and made a shot but was blocked and fans were shocked because during the first two games when Galaxy played against New England and DC United, Cobral carried his team with a good amount of goals during those two games, so fans were counting on him to make that shot for the team. The game was still going as both of the teams were still at zero goals.

Tobey Groome a senior student  at Polytechnic High said, “Going into it, I was a bit nervous because NYCFC is a good team and you never know what to expect for the first game at the season especially because NYCFC won last year so I was expecting a draw or a loss to be honest.”  But in the last minute no one had it coming when #14 Javier Hernandez known as “Chicharito” made an astonishing goal that made the whole stadium go crazy and jumpy. Groome said, “I was super happy they got the win especially as the winning goal came so late in the game.”

Fans were yelling, throwing their drinks and booing at NYCFC because they had lost. Workers were throwing LA Galaxy T-shirts to fans that stood up and were trying their best to get the shirts. Overall the game was the best and crowded with so many people, and not to mention their food prices were higher than the tickets itself. 

As Boys Track and Field season looms, Poly is hoping to continue their dominance in Moore League. Poly has won the last several Moore League titles, coming out on top each year since before Distance Running Coach Cameron Ford’s, 27, time as a runner at Poly.

Part of this success is due to Poly’s successful cross country team. The boy’s cross country team has won Moore League for the past 14 years in a row. Ford said, “Cross Country, Track all of it distance-wise is just year-round running. Each sport feeds into the other. The best way to support is to just run year-round anyways. It definitely helps and you see the benefits on both ends.”

When asked how Poly has achieved this, one of the team captains Jaedon Rufo, a PACE senior, said, “I have to credit the coaches. They do a really good job at balancing our work-outs and keeping us in check. I think the coaches and team camaraderie have led us to victory.”

Cameron Rhone, a BEACH junior, agreed but also said, “We build our athletes up and focus on the team more than just individual runners.”

Assistant Coach Eric Riehl, 29, also added that “a lot of it has to do with the long term vision we have for runners, that it’s not just about one single year, it’s about developing a runner from the first year they are in the program all the way through their senior year.”

The track team is hoping to push for a CIF victory this season. Rufo believes there is a good possibility the team could win this year if they continue to refine their running and continue to get faster.

The team has been active already this season, with Jaelen Knox, a BEACH senior, taking third in the 100m at the Redondo Nike Festival. Knox said, “It felt good. It for sure gave me a huge confidence booster knowing that I can still compete at that level. Also, knowing that the work that I’ve been putting in since COVID and my injury has been working/paid off.”

With the season just around the corner, the team will be looking to keep the Moore League title where it belongs, in the halls of Long Beach Poly.

Kennadi Justine Reed is an 11th grader at Poly High School who has been running track for 10 years and has devoted 3 of those years to Poly’s varsity track team. She has run varsity since her freshman year which says a lot about her effort and performance on the track.  Reed plans to attend a D1 university by scholarship, “preferably University of Southern California or Louisiana State University,” to fulfill her dream of being in the Olympics.

Reed’s goal at the beginning of the year was to become #1 hurdler in California and to break Long Beach Poly’s 300mh record. On Saturday March 19, 2022, she accomplished that goal and she plans to keep the #1 spot for the rest of the season.

“As an athlete, she is amazing,” said track coach Detra King. “She comes to practice everyday and works hard. Whatever task you give her, she excels. Overall she is just a very determined and hard worker. This year her goal is to go to state and win. Where she is right now, most likely she can actually be the California state champion in the 300 hurdles. She is currently number 2 in the state and we plan on changing that. As a person, she is a leader. She leads by example. She works hard so all of her teammates work just as hard as she does because she leads by example.” 

Teammate Kenneth Cox said, “Kennadi Reed is an amazing and fast track runner and I love how dedicated and motivated she is to the sport. She also has an amazing personality and is always laughing and in good spirits.”

Reed has been doing a phenomenal job in the 300mh and her times in the 300mh have been dropping tremendously. She also mentioned that she wants to drop her 400 meter time and to continue to drop her 300mh time. Along with big dreams of being successful, Reed also looks forward to “having a great and fun time” with some of her senior friends that will be graduating this year.

Reed said that the toughest aspect of being a student athlete is just balancing school work and track. She also mentioned that it can be very overwhelming with completing all the school work by the deadline while also trying to get the right amount of sleep.

Away from the track, on the weekend Reed continues to stay in shape by waking up at 8 A.M. to workout in her backyard and as a healthy breakfast, a protein shake with lots of vegetables and fruits. Occasionally getting to go to parties and hang out with friends gives her the opportunity to still have fun away from track. 

When asked what advice she would give to current Poly athletes, Reed said, “Stay humble, focus on yourself and you will succeed and go far in life.”

Long Beach Poly, the “Home of Scholars and Champions,” opened their boys soccer season against Lakewood High School with a whopping score of 5-0 on Monday Night

The Jackrabbits defended Burcham Field in their Moore League season opener Monday night against the Lancers with intentions to start the season off strong, and Poly wasted no time doing so.

Junior winger Kevin Herejon  scored within the first 45 seconds of the match off the through ball from junior center-back Roque Alvarez,  who also wore the captain’s armband for Monday night’s game. Alvarez also shares the center-back position with senior tank Christian Mendoza, who is currently out on a minor injury, Poly is hoping to see Mendoza back on the pitch for Wednesday nights rivalry match against Wilson High School.

Shortly after the goal, junior right-back Victor Kagurabadza served a throw-in to superstar senior, David “Guerro” Huerta, where he dribbled the ball into the 18-yard box and drew a foul for a Poly penalty kick.

Ultimately, Huerta converted from the penalty spot to extend Poly’s lead to 2-0.

Senior striker, Luke Brown, concluded the game with an amazing performance, scoring a hat trick with help from last year’s Moore League MVP and senior, Omar Juarez, alongside assists from senior wing-back Jesus Villagomez, and junior winger Anner Aguilar.

“I think it’s a huge statement against a very talented Lakewood team,” said Brown. “Despite being outplayed during some parts in the second half  we managed to stick through it and keep a clean sheet against a very talented team and personally, scoring a hat trick is a huge motivation because we have a very tuff schedule ahead of us and I think being able to put goals past very good teams like Lakewood will help motivate myself and my teammates to keep scoring and keeping clean sheets.”

Goalkeeper Amir Diaz Espinoza also had an exceptional game keeping the shoutout with a total of 7 saves throughout the match with help of the defense as well to close the game out.

The Jackrabbits quest for three-peat Moore League title retainment continues with two games next week against El Rancho and Warren High School.

This year will be the first year that Long Beach Poly has ever had a rugby team, thanks to the head coach of Poly’s football team, Stephen Barbee, who is the on-campus sponsor for the Rugby Club. Coach Barbee has been an important pillar in starting this club along with Poly alumni Tina Taunanu’u who will be the manager of the rugby team. Another important role which is head coach will be filled by coach Gavin Lauvao Lutali who is a Belmont Shore Rugby Club coach and former professional rugby player. The student president of this club is Gianna Diaz and vice-president is Ikenasio Mikaele.

Although rugby sign-ups started Wednesday, November 10, they are still open. Since rugby is a spring sport you still have time to register. Rugby is open to everyone, with or without any experience. Be prepared because it is a contact sport but there is a place for everyone.

“Rugby is a family sport,” said Taunanu’u. You are not only a part of a team but you are also a part of a family when it comes to rugby. In the rugby world, rugby is considered a “gentleman’s sport” due to the code of ethics, sportsmanship, and player to player respect.

Although rugby has been around for quite some time and is well-known world wide it is just now emerging in the United States. With multiple youth organizations having launched in the U.S., many high schools now have rugby teams. There are approximately 700 universities in the United States that offer rugby, many of these schools offer scholarships.

Rugby originated in England, it dates back to the 1700’s and was originally known as “Rugby football’’. Oxford and Cambridge were the first universities to incorporate rugby into their athletic programs. Today hundreds of universities all over the world offer rugby. Rugby is an Olympic sport and like soccer, rugby has a World Cup that is played every four years.

Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Maria Onore Bryant, were among the 9 passengers that perished in a helicopter accident in Calabasas Hills on the morning of Sunday, January 26.
Kobe and his daughter were on their way to play and coach in a youth basketball game at the Mamba Tournament, which was cancelled due to the news that both Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s helicopter crashed on the hillside.
It was a tragic day for many Lakers fans in LA who worshiped and idolized the basketball giant who played all 20 seasons of his (soon to be Hall of Fame) career with the Los Angeles Lakers. The most important thing Kobe gave to this community was his passion and love for the sports world.
He was a role model for many young fans, and his death affected the community as a whole. The people in LA supported and came together as a family to grieve together on the tragic day and the weeks after.
Many fans gathered around the Staples Center to mourn the loss of their hero. The best part of Los Angeles is that mostly everyone is concerned with the sports world, but the Los Angeles Lakers is the mecca that started it all, and Kobe Bryant was a part of that legacy. As an LA resident and long-time Lakers fan, it deeply saddens me and our city as a whole to lose someone so significant whom we watched growing up.
Many of his NBA companions and fellow players all mourned after hearing the news on the Sunday of the helicopter crash. The players were forced to play due to the NBA’s inability to cancel the games scheduled. Teams took 24 second and 8 second backcourt violations in honor of their fallen hero, brother, friend, and mentor’s number he wore when he dominated the basketball court.
His daughter Gianna was also an aspiring basketball player who hoped to play for UCONN and go into the WNBA. The UCONN Huskies took their condolences to Twitter. “Kobe and Gianna meant a lot to our program.
Our thoughts are with the Bryant family,” the team posted. “Mamba Mentality will live on forever, but they are deeply missed.”
Many people have been inspired by the “Mamba Mentality,” including Poly senior Aurelius Cummings, who said, “Kobe was inspiring and wanted people to be the best that they can be.”
We all mourn the loss of Kobe and Gianna as they are a big part of our community and to the world of basketball. We hope to keep all the victims in this tragedy in our prayers.