LOYOLA CAN'T OVERCOME L.B. POLY; COACHES' BATTLE AFTER GAME HAS BEEN DECIDED : L.B. POLY 35 LOYOLA 20.

Byline: Bryan Rodgers Special to the Daily News

For 48 minutes, Loyola and Long Beach Poly engaged in a tight Division I playoff game at Glendale High Friday night.

Apparently it wasn't enough, as coaches from both teams had to be physically restrained by police and school officials at midfield moments after Long Beach Poly won, 35-20.

The action on the field was just as intense.

Long Beach Poly entered its second-round playoff game as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation.

And the Jackrabbits left in the same position, but barely.

Long Beach Poly (12-0) maintained its undefeated season in a front of a standing-room-only crowd of over 9,000.

Loyola (9-2-1) was within a trick play of possibly extending the Jacrabbits to overtime.

And trailing 28-20 with just over six minutes remaining, Loyola tried the trick play.

Quarterback Chris Peterson handed the ball to Taylor Williams and sprinted toward the left corner of the end zone. Peterson caught the pass, but he had clearly pushed off for offensive pass interference.

David Guintini then tried a 45-yard field goal that fell just short.

Undeterred, Loyola's defense held Long Beach Poly to three and out on the next series.

Loyola again had a chance to tie, but had a receiver drop a pass deep in Jackrabbits territory and failed to convert a fake punt attempt.

Long Beach Poly put away the Cubs when Kareem Kelly caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Chris Lewis with 1:36 remaining.

Kelly plagued the Cubs all night. He had seven receptions for 190 yards and three touchdowns.

Lewis completed 24 of 35 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns.

Loyola led 14-7 after one quarter. The Cubs' defense forced a fumble and two plays later, they scored. Peterson threw a 36-yard touchdown pass from J.J. Nese for Loyola's first score.

Loyola added another score late in the first quarter, when Christopher Garcia recovered a blocked punt in the end zone.

Long Beach Poly dominated the second quarter, scoring 21 points.

Kelly caught a 24-yard touchdown pass, Larry Croom added a 7-yard touchdown run and Jeremy Johnson caught a 7-yard scoring pass with three seconds left before halftime.

``That fade pass before the half killed us,'' Loyola coach Steve Grady said. ``We can't stop the fade. Teams have made a living against us with that play.''

Nese finished as Loyola's leading receiver with four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, while John Grady rushed 15 times for 73 yards.

Long Beach Poly was held without a first down for the first 21 minutes of the second half.

``In the second half, our defense improved, which kept us in the game,'' Grady said. ``They have a lot of weapons and are explosive. They just don't have any class.''