Long Beach Poly Football Families Demand Transparency After Playoff Withdrawal

November 19, 2025

The Long Beach Polytechnic High School football community is pushing for answers after their administration abruptly removed the team from CIF Southern Section playoff contention—leaving players, parents, and coaches in the dark about the full reasoning behind the decision.

The Jackrabbits were pulled from postseason consideration the day after their final regular season game and just 48 hours before playoff brackets were scheduled to be released. For a program that hadn’t missed the playoffs since 2015, and only once before that since 1979, the announcement sent shockwaves through one of California’s most storied football programs.

The Official Statement—But Not the Full Story

Poly administration released a brief statement to families and media that cited “violations of CIF Bylaw 202” and an “ongoing internal investigation” as reasons for the withdrawal. The statement confirmed the school would cooperate with both CIF and the district while conducting a “thorough review” of their processes.

“While student and employee matters are confidential, our commitment remains to support our students while upholding the integrity of our athletic programs,” the statement read.

But for families who’ve invested years in the program, that explanation wasn’t nearly enough.

Why the Confusion and Anger?

Six Poly players were ruled ineligible this season due to falsified address change paperwork—part of a widespread CIF-SS crackdown that affected schools across Southern California. Bishop Montgomery lost 19 players, Millikan forfeited eight, Compton lost one, and dozens more were ruled ineligible at other programs.

Here’s what’s fueling the frustration: many of those other schools still competed in the playoffs despite facing similar penalties. Poly even forfeited their win over Tustin due to using an ineligible player—their first forfeit since 2015—yet they were treated differently than programs with comparable violations.

“The issue for us is not with whatever the reasoning is, it’s with the non-communication,” said Derek Bordeaux, whose son Taj is a senior linebacker for the Jackrabbits. Bordeaux has had three sons go through the Poly program.

“We’re not pointing fingers, I just hate the speculation. It could be transfers, but everyone had transfers and we were penalized for that already the same as everyone else. That makes any observant person feel it has nothing to do with the kids—but they’re the ones paying the price.”

The Emotional Toll on Student-Athletes

Perhaps most painful for families was the timing. The decision came after the team’s final game had already been played, meaning players didn’t know they were suiting up for the last time in their high school careers.

“They could have at least let the kids know it’s their last game so they could say goodbye the right way—give everyone a chance to move on and say goodbye,” Bordeaux said.

For many of these seniors, Friday night football at Poly represented the end of their competitive playing days. The abrupt nature of the announcement left no room for closure.

“Taj is my toughest kid,” Bordeaux added. “He locked himself in his room so he could just cry for days after this. It’s been heartbreaking for all the kids.”

Community Response: Protests and Demands

The day after the announcement, dozens of Jackrabbits families gathered outside the school to protest. Their message was clear: they weren’t necessarily asking for the decision to be reversed, but they wanted transparency and communication from administrators.

“We protested the day after the announcement just asking for answers, not even asking them to change the decision,” Bordeaux explained. “There’s nothing we can really do, the principal won’t talk to us.”

A larger demonstration is planned for tonight’s Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education meeting, where families hope to finally get face-to-face dialogue with district leadership.

What the District Eventually Revealed

Nearly a week later, LBUSD sent out a follow-up message to the “Poly Community” that provided slightly more context. The unsigned statement—which parents have criticized for its impersonal nature—revealed that the internal investigation uncovered issues specifically related to CIF-SS Bylaw 202, B(5).

That particular bylaw deals with School Personnel Involvement in falsifying documents.

Earlier in the season, a Poly assistant coach was removed from the field due to an LBUSD investigation, which many now believe was connected to this bylaw violation.

According to the district’s statement, Poly administration made the decision to withdraw “after careful review of the available information, weighing all possible outcomes, and consulting with the CIF and the CIF guidelines.”

The release suggested that continuing in the playoffs could have exposed the program to more severe penalties, including extended sanctions that would affect future seasons.

“Withdrawing before the playoffs, while extremely difficult, protects our students, the integrity of the program, and Poly’s ability to compete in future years,” the statement read.

The Real Request: Human Communication

While parents like Bordeaux acknowledge that ongoing investigations must remain confidential to some degree, they’re asking for something basic: to be treated like human beings in the process.

“Several talked about the emotional toll it took on their kids to have their high school football careers ended—and for many of them, their football careers period,” one parent said.

The unsigned, impersonal statements from administration have only deepened the sense of disconnect between families and school leadership. Principal Alejandro Vega has declined further comment beyond the issued releases.

For a community that has supported Poly football through thick and thin, the lack of direct communication from leadership has been the most difficult pill to swallow.

What’s Next?

As families prepare for tonight’s school board meeting, the question remains: will district and school leaders finally provide the transparency this community deserves?

The Jackrabbits’ season is over. The playoff opportunity has passed. But for the families who’ve dedicated countless hours to this program, the need for honest, human communication from their school’s leadership is just beginning.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to HS Prep Sports for updates as more information becomes available.