Long Beach Poly (Calif.) vs. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
John Smith, Long Beach Poly
File photo by Louis Lopez
Two of Southern California's historic powers meet with a berth in championship game of the Pac 5 Division on the line. Poly (11-1) has won 10 in a row and may have played its best game of the season in a 44-8 rout of St. Bonaventure (Ventura) last week. Senior athlete
John "JuJu" Smith – a five-star prospect according to 247Sports – scored a pair of touchdowns and was all over the field on defense. Mater Dei (10-2) advanced after handing Mission Viejo its first loss of the season (21-14). The Monarchs sacked Mission Viejo quarterback Ian Feiber three times and harassed the San Jose State recruit into throwing three interceptions.
Just the facts: Poly beat Mater Dei for the Pac 5 title last season. Prior to that, the teams went 1-1-1 when they played for the CIF-Southern Section Division I title three consecutive times in the late 1990s. … Poly's Pac 5 championship last year was its record 19th section title. Mater Dei is shooting for its 10th all-time CIF-SS championship but first since 1998.
Mitch Stephens: Mater Dei 14, Long Beach Poly 13
Kevin Askeland: Mater Dei 35, Long Beach Poly 30
Jamie DeMoney: Long Beach Poly 27, Mater Dei 9
Stephen Spiewak: Long Beach Poly 28, Mater Dei 27
Leland Gordon: Mater Dei 16, Long Beach Poly 13
Colin Ward-Henninger: Long Beach Poly 28, Mater Dei 24
