Long Beach Poly Defeats Fontana in Mud, 10-9

The kickers in the Big Five Conference quarterfinal game Friday night at Fontana High School probably would have stood out, anyway, what with almost everyone else on the field wearing uniforms of mud.

But Adam Scolaro made sure that wasn’t the only recognition he would get. The sophomore kicked a 22-yard field goal with nine minutes left, and that proved to be the difference as Long Beach Poly held on to beat Fontana, 10-9, and advance to the semifinals.

The Jackrabbits’ opponent will be decided by the outcome of tonight’s game between top-seeded La Puente Bishop Amat and Huntington Beach Marina at Westminster High School. That matchup was originally scheduled for Friday night but was postponed because of bad field conditions.

The field at Fontana had its share of puddles and mud, but they were never really a factor. What did loom big all night was the blown extra point by Fontana on the Steelers’ first possession.

Greg Colbrunn had given them a 6-0 lead with 4:48 remaining in the first quarter with a one-yard run over the left side, only the third touchdown the Poly starting defense has allowed all season. But when Jose Larraga, the holder for Kenny Gonzales’ conversion attempt, saw Mike Coulson coming in from the right side, he pulled up and tried to pass for a two-point play, but it fell incomplete.

Poly (10-1) scored two plays into the second quarter as Leonard Russell bulled his way in from the two, carrying a couple of Fontana defenders with him. He just did reach the ball across the goal line. Scolaro made his extra point, and the Jackrabbits led, 7-6, going into the third quarter.

Fontana, which reached the final last December in the Coliseum and began this season as The Times’ No. 2 team in the Southern Section, went ahead again on Gonzales’ 35-yard field goal. The Steeler drive was aided by a 38-yard pass from quarterback Barry Titus to Michael McClellan and a pass interference call against Poly defensive back Lolo James three plays later that made it first and goal from the Jackrabbit seven.

Poly got a couple of big passing gains itself on its drive to open the fourth quarter, Michael Herring (11 of 18, 138 yards and 1 interception) hitting Chris Roscoe for 10 yards and Eric Morgan for 18. Three plays and a timeout later, Scolaro made it 10-9.

Fontana (8-4) got the ball with one last chance for the win, but was 88 yards away from the goal line against the best defense in Southern California and with no timeouts and 1:35 to play. The Steelers made it only as far as their own 30 before trying a flea-flicker on the final play of the game, but Titus never got the pass off before being sacked.

Although slowed in the fourth quarter, Russell finished with 103 yards in 32 carries.