After a 13-year break, Long Beach Poly and Mater Dei high schools resume their epic football rivalry this Saturday night at Angel Stadium.  The two prep powerhouses will be competing once again for the C.I.F. Championship of the PAC-5 Division.  

Poly beat Mater Dei to win the C.I.F. title in 1997, but the Monarchs won the rematch in ’98.  The two teams met once again for the championship in ’99, and came away with a 21-21 tie. 

This year, after a difficult pre-season, the Jackrabbits rebounded to sweep the Moore League and knock off #1-seed Mission Viejo, Bishop Amat, and #3-seed St. John Bosco in the C.I.F. playoffs. 

Poly, the most successful football program in C.I.F. Southern Section history, is looking for its 8th championship in the last 16 years. 

–Photo: Poly linemen prepare to do battle with the Mater Dei Monarchs. By Matt Cohn.