Poly is impressive in a 42-14 win over Compton

It’s Week 9 of the season, and 16-time Southern Section champion Long Beach Poly made a compelling case Friday night that it intends to be a strong factor in the Pac-5 Division championship hunt.

With junior quarterback Morgan Fennell running for one touchdown and completing 12 of 14 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, the Jackrabbits (8-1, 5-0) routed previously unbeaten Compton, 42-14, in a Moore League title decider at Compton.

It was Poly’s 72nd consecutive league victory and the Jackrabbits clinched at least a tie for their 16th consecutive league championship.

More important, with top-ranked Santa Ana Mater Dei losing to Orange Lutheran, 31-12, Poly is in position to be the No. 1-seeded team in the Pac-5 playoffs.

The Jackrabbits, ranked sixth in the Southland by The Times, physically beat up and dominated No. 15 Compton (8-1, 4-1) in the second half after leading, 14-8, at halftime. In the third quarter, Fennell connected with Kevin Norrell on a 40-yard touchdown pass and had a 17-yard scoring pass to Randall Cox.

Ricky Johnson finished with 116 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns. Compton’s Donald Green, after rushing for 111 yards in the first half, had to leave in the third quarter because of a rib injury.

This is a Poly team that was largely forgotten after stumbling in its second game, a 20-7 defeat to City Section title favorite Lake Balboa Birmingham.

“I blame myself for Birmingham,” Coach Raul Lara said. “I don’t think I had my kids ready mentally.”

Fennell’s development is critical to Poly’s success. He was making good decisions and finding the open receivers Friday, adding the threat of an effective passing attack to the challenge opponents usually face when taking on the speed and physicality of the Jackrabbits.

“I thought Morgan threw the ball well,” Lara said. “That’s the key. If we get that part, oh my God. . . . He’s seeing things we need him to see.”

Poly broke open the game at the outset of the third quarter when Fennell spotted an uncovered Norrell for his 40-yard touchdown. “I let him know and he delivered it fast,” Norrell said.

Compton showed it wasn’t intimidated on its opening possession, driving 65 yards in eight plays, with Green running 42 yards for a touchdown. Then Christopher Metcalf caught a two-point conversion pass from Bernard Griffin for an 8-0 lead. But Poly’s offense had little trouble moving the ball. Johnson contributed a 16-yard touchdown run and Fennell scored on a one-yard run.

Green, who was averaging 13.7 yards a carry for Compton, was impressive until his injury.

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eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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