Football: Can Poly pull off upset of Mission Viejo?

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Kickoff is about 60 minutes away at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, where Long Beach Poly will try to knock off Mission Viejo, the No. 1-ranked team in The Times’ Top 25 poll.

To pull off the upset, the 13th-ranked Jackrabbits will have to play even better than they did in beating Harbor City Narbonne, 23-20, last Friday. Not only will Poly (2-1) have the home field advantage, it also won’t have to contend with Mission Viejo linebacker and backup quarterback Tre Madden.

Madden, who has committed to USC, fractured his right foot in the second quarter of the Diablos’ 56-34 victory over Corona last Thursday and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks. Even without Madden, Mission Viejo (3-0) comes in as the clear favorite and Poly will have its hands full attempting to slow down an offense that is averaging 49 points per game.

Poly may need another big game from Keltain Malveaux, who rushed for over 160 yards and two touchdowns against Narbonne. The Jackrabbits’ best chance may be to run the ball effectively, keep the clock moving and limit their opponent’s possessions.

The teams have taken the field for pre-game warmups. Check back in an hour for live updates during tonight’s contest.

-- Steve Galluzzo