Long Beach Poly’s Kasim Shepherd (24) tries to stop Carson’s Chris Fields III (1) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Jayden Coley (3) tries to get past Carson’s TeeJay Hamilton (27) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Derric Myers (12) tries to take down Long Beach Poly’s Elijah Dawson (6) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Jorge Valencia (24 jumps over Long Beach Poly’s Eris Swift (43) as Swift trips up Carsons Chris Fields III (1) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Preston Leomiti (9) stops Long Beach Poly’s Jeron Johnson II (9) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Logan Kirk (21) tries to stop Carson’s Chris Fields III (1) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Jayden Coley (3) breaks free from Carson’s Preston Leomiti (9) and runs the ball in for a touchdown in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Jayden Coley (3) races for yards as the Jackrabbits take on Carson in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Tytus Salagi (2) tries to get past Long Beach Poly’s Ian Douglas (56) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Chris Fields III (1) looks for an open teammate as the Colts take on Long Beach Poly in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Logan Kirk (21) stops Carson’s Nathan Williams (6) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Eric Myers (7) is stopped by Long Beach Poly’s Ian Douglas (56) and Dezmen Howard (8) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Chris Fields III (1) tries to break free from Long Beach Poly’s Zion Anderson (5) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Aj Umoh (11) tries to stop Long Beach Poly’s Ace Faagata (18) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Ace Faagata (18) looses the ball while trying to score for the Jackrabbits in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Zion Anderson (5) looks to get around Carson’s defense in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Kasim Shepherd (24) is on Carson’s Darren Panton (8) as he misses a touchdown pass in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Carson’s Preston Leomiti (9) stops Long Beach Poly’s Ace Faagata (18) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Zion Anderson (5) tries to get thorough Carson’s defense in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Jayden Coley (3) tries to get through Carson’s Darren Panton (8) and Derric Myers (12) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Jeron Johnson II (9) races around Carson’s defense in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption
1 of 21
Long Beach Poly’s Kasim Shepherd (24) tries to stop Carson’s Chris Fields III (1) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, September 11, 2026. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
LONG BEACH — Before they knew it, the Long Beach Poly football team was trailing 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Jackrabbits battled back in the second quarter and scored on a 29-yard touchdown catch by Jayden Coley, who broke a tackle on his way to the end zone. Poly senior running back Jeron Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run cut it to 17-14 with 9:22 left in the fourth quarter.
However, they never quite overcame the team’s slow start and Poly missed a game-tying 34-yard field goal with 1:13 to go, suffering a 17-14 loss against Carson in a nonleague game at Cabrillo High Friday night.
“The team came together,” Long Beach Poly first-year coach Travon Patterson said, “they understood what it was that we needed to do to capitalize. We knew exactly what they were doing. We found the momentum. We kept going, but obviously those penalties cost us here and there, but we’re going to put it together.”
Poly junior quarterback Ace Fa’agata completed 16 of 23 passes for 174 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also had a costly fumble, which Carson senior linebacker Preston Leomiti ran back for a 49-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, which put the road team up 14-0 with 5:36 left in the first.
Coley finished with 7 receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown.
“It’s how much you really want it,” Coley said. “Teams are playing us like it’s their Super Bowl, so we have to come out here and never play down to nobody’s level and execute like we know how to do. We’ve got all the talent in the world. We just have to put it together.”
Long Beach Poly (1-3) will play against Inglewood in a nonleague game at SoFi Stadium on Friday, Sept. 18.
“Just have a chip on their shoulder,” Patterson continued. “We lost the last three, remember how that felt and make sure we don’t do that again.”
Carson was led by senior quarterback Chris Fields III, who ran for 156 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. Fields completed 5 of 7 passes for 68 yards and one interception.
“We want to do what we do best and stay consistent for the 48 minutes,” Carson second-year coach William Lowe said before the game.
Carson (3-1) did not attempt a pass on their opening possession, which was a 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive, capped off by Fields’ 6-yard touchdown run. Carson led 7-0 with 6:47 left in the first quarter. Fields ran for 113 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries in the first half.
Fa’agata threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Coley, which cut it to 14-7 with 10:57 left in the second quarter.
Poly junior defensive back Kasim Shepherd intercepted Fields’ deep ball at his own 14 with 6:29 left in the second to keep it a one-score game.
Jackrabbits senior kicker Jonas Mendoza’s 43-yard field goal went wide right with 8:30 left in the third quarter. However, Poly junior defensive back Zion Anderson recovered a Carson fumble on the next play.
Meanwhile, Poly did not capitalize on the prime field position just outside the red zone at the Carson 24. On the next play, Fa’agata threw an interception to Carson junior defensive back Deshawn White. Carson made a decisive 34-yard field goal to go up 17-7 with 2:58 left in the third.
Trailing 17-14, Poly got the ball back at their own 26 with 5:42 remaining. The Jackrabbits marched into the Carson red zone but settled for a 34-yard field goal attempt. Mendoz missed wide left with 1:13 to go.
Carson knelt out the game to secure the 17-14 victory.
“I feel like we’re so close, we’re an inch away from getting it done,” Coley added. “We just have to execute in the fourth quarter. We’re getting turnovers on defense. We just have to execute on offense and push through. It’s our will at this point but I feel like at the end of the day we’re all going to bring it together. I’m still waiting for a state championship. That’s what I’m chasing.”
Long Beach Poly senior receiver Jayden Coley finished with 7 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown in his team’s 17-14 loss to Carson Friday.@jaydencoley14 said teams are playing @LBPoly_Football like it’s their Super Bowl so his team has to execute, especially in the 4th Q. pic.twitter.com/fWPXN7lORn
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 12, 2026
Long Beach Poly football head coach Travon Patterson said he wants his team to remember how losing 17-14 to Carson feels and let that fuel them for tough nonleague games against Inglewood and Rancho Cucamonga the next two weeks. pic.twitter.com/EbTqQLc6bI
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 12, 2026
I’m breaking down Long Beach Poly’s 17-14 loss to Carson High Friday night.
Carson improves to 3-1.
Poly drops to 1-3 after trailing 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Jackrabbits fought back but missed a 34-yard game-tying field goal with 1:13 left in the 4th Q. pic.twitter.com/lQUiM3I5VG
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 12, 2026
PREGAME: Carson football coach William Lowe said he doesn’t want his team to play into the emotions against Long Beach Poly.
It’s an old school public school powerhouse game but he wants his team to focus on executing for 48 minutes. pic.twitter.com/J4wqmpcz8j
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 12, 2026