Matt Barkley is one of many when it comes to the list of famous football players who have played for Long Beach Poly or Mater Dei. The teams will renew their rivalry Saturday in the Southern Section Pac-5 title game.
File photo by Kirby Lee
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Long Beach Poly (Calif.) meet Saturday in the Pac-5 Division championship in a game that pits two of the most storied high school football programs in California history.
Both squads have sent numerous players to the NFL. Poly alone has sent 51 players to the professional ranks, which ranks No. 1 among all high schools in the United States. The teams have also been very successful in winning CIF Southern Section championships, with Poly winning 18 and Mater Dei 10.
MaxPreps will be there an Angel Stadium on Saturday night, so check back for game coverage.
Here's a look at 10 of the best players who have been a part of the long tradition at both schools.
Top 10 Mater Dei, Long Beach Poly Alumni
10. John Huarte, Mater Dei The first Heisman Trophy winner from Mater Dei, Huarte earned All-American honors his senior season at Notre Dame in 1964. As a professional, Huarte never found much success, bouncing around between six different teams in the AFL, NFL and World Football League.
9. Marcedes Lewis, Long Beach PolyA current tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Lewis was a first-round draft pick out of UCLA in the 2006 draft. A consensus All-American in college, Lewis made the Pro Bowl in 2010. He has caught 249 passes for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns in his professional career.
8. Leonard Russell, Long Beach PolyThe NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1991, Russell played six seasons in the NFL after starring at Arizona State. He gained 3,973 yards and scored 29 touchdowns while playing for four different teams.
7. Matt Barkley, Mater Dei The Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior at Mater Dei in 2007, Barkley has been the starting quarterback at USC since his freshman season. Expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy this season, Barkley saw his season come to an early end with a shoulder injury against UCLA. Some draft experts expect Barkley to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft.
6. Matt Leinart, Mater DeiThe second of Mater Dei's two Heisman Trophy winners, Leinart led USC to two national championships (2003, 2004) and won the Heisman in 2004. Leinart hasn't quite found the same success in the NFL, spending his seven-year career with three different teams, mostly as a backup.
5. DeSean Jackson, Long Beach Poly
DeSean Jackson, Poly
File photo by Juliann Tallino
A standout as a receiver and return man, Jackson has made the Pro Bowl twice and was All-Pro in 2009. A second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson was a two-time All-American at Cal. He was also named the Southern California Player of the Year by the Los Angeles Times in 2004 as a senior at Poly.
4. Tony Hill, Long Beach PolyA three-time Pro Bowl selection during the late 1970s, Hill completed his 10-year career - all with the Dallas Cowboys - with 479 receptions, 7,988 yards and 51 touchdowns. Hill played quarterback at Poly but transitioned to wide receiver when he went to Stanford, where he is in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
3. Gene Washington, Long Beach PolyA successful receiver with the San Francisco 49ers from 1969-77, Washington caught 385 passes for 6,856 yards and 60 touchdowns in his career that saw him earn All-Pro honors four straight seasons. A first-round pick out of Stanford in 1969, Washington was a quarterback at Long Beach Poly in the mid-1960s. Washington is currently the director of operations for the NFL.
2. Mark Carrier, Long Beach PolyThe NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1990, Carrier was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his 11-year NFL career. He had 32 interceptions as a safety for the Bears, Lions and Redskins. At Poly, Carrier was a Parade All-American. He won the Jim Thorpe Award while playing at USC.
1. Willie McGinest, Long Beach PolyA member of three Super Bowl champion teams with the New England Patriots, McGinest was the No. 4 overall choice in the 1994 NFL draft. He played 15 years in the NFL, mostly with the Patriots, and had 582 tackles as a linebacker. He was twice a Pro Bowl selection. While at USC, McGinest earned All-Conference accolades three years in a row and was an All-American as a senior.
