He was lucky, and good

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Long Beach Poly free safety Vaughn Telemaque didn’t get one thing he was after -- the school record of four interceptions in a game -- but still, it seemed like he caught most of the balls thrown his way.

‘I don’t like to call it luck, but plays come to you, and I was just in the right place at the right time,’ Telemaque said after the Jackrabbits had beaten Carson, 38-9, thanks in part to his three interceptions that led to 17 points.

The 6-2, 190-pound Telemaque, who is No. 40 on Rivals.com’s list of top 100 defensive backs in the country, teams with 6-3, 205-pound strong safety Herman Davidson to routinely use their size and athleticism to disrupt the passing lanes. Telemaque has intercepted four passes on the season. He also had one last week against Newport Harbor.

‘Our secondary’s just having fun playing center field,’ Coach Raul Lara said. ‘I think I have the two biggest safeties in the country, believe it or not. It’s pretty neat, and they’re very athletic. They’re going to be something, somewhere, in the future.’

Telemaque, who intercepted two passes in the first quarter against Carson and had another pick in the second quarter, said he is considering offers from Michigan, Boise State, Ole Miss, Oregon, North Carolina and Rutgers.

Neither safety has made a commitment, however, and both, for now, are focused on the current season.

‘If the defense wasn’t doing well, we would be in trouble,’ Lara said. ‘I’m really happy with the way they’re playing.’

- Lauren Peterson