More Than a Title at Stake in Mater Dei-Poly Matchup

Along one sideline, dressed in red and white, the Mater Dei Monarchs of Santa Ana, champions of the Serra League.

Along the other sideline, dressed in green and gold, the Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits, champions of the Moore League and defenders of public schools, democracy and the free world.

That’s the billing for the Southern Section Division I football championship game tonight, even if the Edison Field marquee doesn’t read exactly that way. It’s Poly (13-0), a good school with a good football team, against Mater Dei (11-2), a good school with a good football team that--kind of like the Yankees--many people love to hate.

“We take that with great pride, that we are seen as No. 1,” Mater Dei Principal Patrick Murphy said. “When you are No. 1, everyone wants to knock you off your pillar.

“We are kind of the Notre Dame of high schools. Half the people cheer for us and half hope we lose.”

Poly beat Mater Dei for the 1997 Division I title. Mater Dei beat Poly last year. And, if you believe there’s nothing more than a championship banner at stake tonight, listen to Poly Principal Mel Collins.

“After the ’97 championship, we got calls and letters and e-mail from all over the country saying, ‘Way to go! Public schools!’ That 1997 team did so much for public institutions,” Collins said.

The principals and coaching staffs say they respect their rivals immensely. Before the game, student council members from both schools plan to join hands on the field in a gesture of sportsmanship.

Of course, sportsmanship is a wonderful thing, but recall the banner Poly students unveiled after the victory over Mater Dei two years ago. It read: “Who Says Public Schools Can’t Play?”