Friday Night Game of The Week Serra Beats Long Beach Poly 20-12

Story by L.T.Willis

Gardena Serra defeated Long Beach Poly 20-12 in a non league game. Photo
by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

On a great night for high school football Serra hosted  Long Beach Poly in a game that had a playoff atmosphere in the air. Serra's defense and the play of Jalen Green led Serra to 20-12 victory over Long Beach Poly. In the first quarter Poly's quarterback Eban Jackson fumble the ball with 9:02 on the clock, and Serra recovered the ball on their own 18 yard line. On the next play Serra's quarterback Jalen Green hit wide receiver Anterio Bateman on a 18 yard touchdown pass and gave Serra a 7-0 lead.

Serra's #3 Jalen Green looking for a receiver
down field. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

On Poly's next drive of the game running back Manusamoa Luuga fumble the ball and Serra's defense recovered the ball on their 27 yard line. With 6:52 left in the first quarter Jalen Green hit Darryl Furey on a 12 yard touchdown pass and now Serra led Long beach Poly 14-0. The defense from Serra was really focus on putting pressure on Eban Jackson the quarterback for Long Beach Poly.

Serra's defense putting pressure on Poly's quarterback
Eban Jackson .Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

Long Beach Poly finally got on the score board when quarterback Eban Jackson scored on on 1 yard touchdown run to make the score Serra 14-6 with 1:08 left in the first quarter. Long Beach Poly just couldn't find any rhythm in the first half as Serra" defense was covering all the wide outs for Poly and just couldn't really get anything going after the two turnovers in the first half.

Long Beach Poly's quarterback #2 Eban Jackson trying to
make plays on offense. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

In the third quarter both teams defense began to clamped down and it was looking like who would ever make the big plays would win the game, or get back into the game .Their was some great one on one tackles, as well as some great team tackling. Poly had a hard time converting on third downs as Jackson was being hurried all night by Serra's defense.

Poly's defense clamping down on Serra's running
game. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

Serra scored late in the third quarter when Jalen Green found Jordan Lasley open for a 29 yard touchdown pass on a big fourth and eight and push Serra lead to 20-6, and looked like Serra was starting too pull away from Long Beach Poly. Poly  got a break late in the fourth quarter as Jalen Green was pick off and gave Poly new life as time was wounding down in the fourth quarter.

Serra's QB #3 Jalen Green connects wide out #6 Darryl Furey
for a big play. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

With 39 seconds left in the game Poly's quarterback Eban Jackson found Thomas Tucker open for a 21 yard touchdown to now make the score Serra 20-12. Poly fans were still cheering as the everyone knew that a onside kicked was coming. Serra recovered the kick and ran out the clock to defeat Long Beach Poly 20-12.

Poly's #5 Caleb Turner returning a interception by Serra's quarterback
Jalen Green. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

Long Beach Poly's quarterback Eban Jackson was 13 for 24 with 114 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Serra's quarterback Jalen Green finish the night 12 for 24 with 175 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. You can check out more photos from our website at www.tgsportstv.com, click on high school gallery and scroll down to Long Beach Poly @ Serra. All photos are by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW Gems Images.