CARSON - Long Beach Poly is living proof that defense wins championships.

For the second week, Long Beach Poly’s defense kept an opponent out of the end zone. And for the 17th time in the school history, the Jackrabbits can call themselves champions.

Long Beach Poly, behind a pair of touchdown runs from Melvin Richardson and another standout defensive effort, defeated Crespi of Encino, 13-6, to win the CIF-SS Pac-5 Division Championship on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center.

Poly allowed only 24 points in its four playoff games.

“This week in practice was business week,” Richardson said. “Everybody minded their own business, stayed focus and humble and we came home with the victory and the (championship) ring."

Richardson finished with 157 yards rushing on 17 carries. Austin Shanks led Crespi’s rushing attack with 127 yards. 

The Jackrabbits had advanced to the finals with a 2-0 victory over Orange Lutheran in the semifinals last week.

“We worked hard, we deserved the ring,” Poly defensive lineman Jurrell Casey said. “We came out to play. Our offensive lineman made big holes for our running back to run through them.”

In the championship game, Poly slowed down the Celts offense, putting tremendous pressure on sophomore quarterback Bryan Bennett, who completed 10 of 21 passes for 123 yards.

The tone was set early in the game as the defense harassed Bennett and forced him into two interceptions, both by Vaughn Telemaque.

Telemaque sealed the game with a third interception, with 56 seconds remaining in the game. Telemaque increased his interception total to nine for the season.

“We wanted to go and execute everyway that we could,” Telemaque said. “We wanted to let them know that we were ready to play and come in show a big effort.”

Crespi trailed, 6-3, and attempted to tie the score on a 24-yard field goal from Christian Nastos. However, Poly linebacker Romeo Robinson blocked the attempt with 1:53 to go in the third quarter.

Long Beach Poly jumped on the scoreboard on its second play of the game. Richardson took the handoff from Morgan Fennell and raced 69-yards for the touchdown.

Crespi cut the deficit to 6-3 on a 33-yard field goal from Nastos with 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

“It just didn’t go our way tonight,” Crespi coach Jeremiah Ross said. “Poly is a great team and coach (Raul) Lara is a great coach.”

Poly will now await the CIF State selection process to see if it will play in one of next week’s state championship games.

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com