Poly clings to 2-0 lead, but it’s still anyone’s game

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So far, both Orange Lutheran and Long Beach Poly have had some success in doing what they want to do. Poly hasn’t turned the ball over, Lutheran hasn’t allowed the big play -- unless you count those series of downs at the end of the first half when Lutheran had first and goal on the one-yard line and failed to score.

In the press box, my cronies in the peanut gallery seem to believe that Lutheran may have scored on Bobby Wheatley’s second-down sneak, and/or on Tyson Seneca’s third-down carry. But clearly, Seneca failed to score on fourth down.

Even if Lutheran did get in the end zone but didn’t get the benefit of the doubt from officials, it was an outstanding defensive performance by Poly -- one of the best I’ve ever seen, period, much less one that just happened to take place in a big game. Lutheran had less than six inches to go on three downs and couldn’t penetrate the end zone by any appreciable margin.

Both teams have excellent defenses, and that’s reflected in the yardage: Poly has run 24 plays for 81 yards, and Lutheran 27 for 58.

With the score only 2-0 at halftime, it’s still anybody’s ball game.

And both teams know it.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.mrtoys.com