By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Melvin Richardson described it like he was sprinting down a smoky tunnel, a magical runway where his eyes were blurred, ears deaf but focus clear.
Get to the end zone.
Win the game.
Get to the state championship.
The Long Beach Poly senior running back did all of the above with a memorable 61-yard touchdown jaunt with two minutes, 56 seconds remaining, lifting the Jackrabbits to another improbable postseason comeback victory, this time 20-17 over a big, physical and upstart Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) squad in the Southern Section Pac-5 championship game Saturday before 11,653 frenzied and completely divided fans at Angel Stadium.
Richardson finished with 132 yards rushing and two touchdowns as Poly (14-0), ranked No. 13 nationally and 2 in the state, fought from behind for the fourth straight playoff game. His electrifying touchdown run gave Poly it’s first and only lead.
It’s the only one it needed.
The Jackrabbits have now won a section record 18 titles but few were as improbable or exciting as this. Richardson’s run will long be remember in a storied program that has produced more NFL players than any high school in the country.
“It was like a big old smoky tunnel,” Richardson said of the last run. “I couldn’t hear anything but I knew I had to get into the end zone. When I got there I was so happy. I heard the crowd and I was shocked.”
It would be shocking if Poly wasn’t selected as the Southern California Open Division Bowl representative.
Last year the Jackrabbits won the Pac-5 crown, but was picked as the Division I representative. They beefed up their schedule and though blew out few, but with one of the nation’s top defenses, a strong running game, a gritty quarterback and a confident late attitude, they got through unscathed and will likely face another famed program, De La Salle (Concord) in the Open Division Bowl championship.
Don't be surprised, however if the 10 section commissioners, who will select the 10 teams Sunday morning for next week’s five games, pick Grant (Sacramento) as Poly's opposition. Whoever it is better get a big early lead. That or allow the Jackrabbits to jump out in front.
“Never doubt a rabbit,” a Poly assistant kept repeating during Poly’s jubilant postgame celebration. “We just keep coming and coming and coming.”
Tesoro, an eighth-year school ranked eighth nationally and No. 1 in the state, was in control throughout. The Titans (13-1) had leads of 7-0, 14-7 and 17-7 but watched the Jackrabbits score two touchdowns in the last 6:48 to pull it out.
Poly managed just 44 yards and three first downs during a lackluster first half. Tesoro, riding a 1-yard TD run Issac Tago with 8:54 left in the second quarter and the vast all-around play of Preston King, had a 7-0 lead.
King, a super slick 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior, did it all with two punt returns for 75 yards, four catches, a pass completion that set up the only touchdown and he was a stud on defense. He came into the game with nine interceptions, three returned for touchdowns.
Poly woke up at halftime and immediately went 66 yards in 12 plays capped by a 22-yard touchdown burst around the left side by Richardson.
It took Tesoro just more than two minutes to take the lead back, 14-7, on a 52-yard touchdown bomb from Robbie Pecazo to Brett Gudim. It was the first play longer than 20 yards all night for Tesoro.
Tesoro took a 17-7 lead with 9:40 left in the game on a 31-yard field goal by Ian Sellar, but senior Morgan Fennell led the Jackrabbits on a vital and tough 80-yard touchdown march, capped with a 24-yard fourth-down TD pass to Damon Smith with 6:48 remaining.
Fennell (14 of 21, 141 yards), who started the drive with a 38-yard completion, was drilled just as he threw the ball up for grabs and Smith made a fantastic diving catch in the back of the end zone.
“I don’t know what happened after I threw it,” Fennell said. “When I heard the roar I knew it was good. And the hit didn’t hurt so much.”
After Tesoro recorded one first down, the Jackrabbits held and three plays later, Richardson was off to the races.
Look for much more on this game later as well as write-ups on all the CIF playoff games a little later.
See De La Salle win plus Friday's CIF roundup. Click here.
See CIF Title game previews. Click here.
See Bowl Game possibilities. Click here.
SATURDAY’S CIF SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP GAMESNorth Coast Section
D3, Encinal (Alameda) 35, Novato 28
On a bitterly cold night in Dublin, a legend was born in Alameda as Encinal senior quarterback Jonathan Brown rushed for 67 yards and two scores and completed 10 of 13 passes for 137 yards and three scores, including the game-winner, a 10-yarder to Devonte Pitre with 26 seconds remaining to give the Jets (13-0) their first NCS crown since 1980. Brown also set up the game-winning drive by sticking Novato quarterback Jeff Stephens, forcing an interception. According to Encinal coach Joe Tenorio, Brown has been doing this all season. “The best player I’ve seen in high school in the Alameda County area,” he said. Novato, a 2007 Division II State Bowl representative, finished 11-3. Encinal has always been known as a baseball school having produced Willie Stargell, Jimmy Rollins and Dontrelle Willis. Former NBA standout JR Rider also attended Encinal. See fantastic game story by MaxPreps senior writer Kevin Askeland and also an outstanding gamer by Will McCulloch of San Francisco Chronicle. .
D2, Cardinal Newman 17, Clayton Valley (Concord) 7
Randy Wright (12 of 17, 169 yards) connected eight times for 153 yards to Wade Amaral, including a key 62-yard touchdown with 3:08 left in the third as Cardinal Newman (13-0) looks like the Northern California Division III Bowl front-runner with a hard-fought win over Clayton Valley (12-1), which got 123 yards rushing from Dozie Iwuagwu. Game story from Harold Abend.
Sac-Joaquin Section
D1, . St. Mary’s (Stockton) 36, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 14
St. Mary’s made a strong case for a Division II State Bowl-bid as Oregon State-bound quarterback Cody Vaz completed 19 of 29 passes for 247 yards leading the Rams (12-2) to victory in the Section’s highest division. MaxPreps senior writer Kevin Askeland was everywhere this weekend and filed this outstanding game report. Also Sacramento Bee staffer Joe Davidson’s account.
Los Angeles City
Narbonne (Harbor City) 21, San Pedro 21
San Pedro made a remarkable last-minute drive, going 55 yards in 27 seconds, then converted an even more remarkable 15-yard touchdown pass from Barry Heads to Benjamin Weischedel on the last play of the game. Then, perhaps most remarkably, San Pedro went for the tie, kicking an extra point. City rules allow no overtime periods in championship games so the teams are considered co-champions. “I did not have the right to deny these kids a chance to be City champions,” San Pedro coach Mike Walsh told Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times. “I couldn’t do it after that comeback.” Fair enough. Read game account by Sondheimer.
Southern Section
Southwest, La Habra 26, Tustin 14
Ronnie Hillman rushed for second-half touchdowns of 54 and 43 yards and also caught a 16-yard touchdown pass leading La Habra (12-2) to the hard fought victory. Hillman rushed just five times for 106 yards while teammates Joshua Quezeda and quarterback Randall Nygren combined for 169 yards on 24 rushing attempts. It helped offset a massive game from Tustin junior Anthony Wilkerson (37 attempts, 204 yards, touchdown). Tustin finished 9-5.
Mid-Valley, Paraclete (Lancaster) 21, Rosemead 10
East Valley, St. Margaret’s (San Juan Capistrano) 17, Twentynine Palms 3
St. Margaret’s won its third straight Southern Section title and 42nd straight game overall with a decisive win at home. The Tartans are in a close battle with Parker to be selected into the state Small School game. They are coached by Harry Welsh, who led Canyon Country to a state Division I Bowl championship two years ago against De La Salle. See game story.
Eastern, Citrus Hill (Perris) 31, Barstow 27
Deontae Cooper rushed for 260 yards on 36 carries pushing him over 1,000 yards in the postseason alone as Citrus Hill (14-0) won its second straight title and 29th consecutive game overall. See game story.
Northeast, Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 13, Riverside Christian 6
Antonio Alaniz scored a touchdown midway through the third quarter breaking a 6-6 tie and giving Rio Hondo Prep the victory. A ball control offense and rugged defense kept a high-powered Riverside Christian defense off the field. Riverside Christian got 127 yards rushing and a touchdown from Jon Harris, while the winners got 171 yards rushing from Tim Esguerra. Game story.
San Diego Section
D5, Parker 51, Bishop’s (La Jolla) 22
Deon Randall rushed 16 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns, threw for four more and had punt returns of 43 and 32 yards as Parker (12-1) made a strong case to be selected into the state small-school bowl game. Game story.
Items from the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune and Riverside Press-Enterprise were used in this report.