HS FOOTBALL: Get ready for the 'new' Poly

There are big football changes at Poly High in Sun Valley. After going 9-3 in each of the past two seasons, the defending East Valley League champion Parrots are moving up to Div. I in the City Section under a new coach, Joe Pierro, and a new scheme that switches from their tradition wing-T to a spread offense.

There was a setback when quarterback Erik Gonzalez suffered a season-ending knee injury, but Pierro feels good about the way things are developing.

"This is the first time Poly has been a Division I team in a really long time, and I'm looking forward to the challenge," said Pierro, who has replaced Scott Faer, who resigned. "I won section championships in high school at Clovis West and as an assistant at Birmingham, and I've been pushing these kids because I don't think they know what they're in for. It's kind of like shock therapy."

Robert Rojas, a junior, is the leading candidate at quarterback, and there are a couple of proven running backs in Anthony Ephriam and Paul Mata. Ephriam, the half-brother of last year's standout running back Kevin Ervin, performed well as a junior with 695 yards on just 37 carries - and average of 18.8 yards - and nine touchdowns. Mata, a stocky 5-5, 205-pound fullback, had 574 yards and five touchdowns.

"Anytime you come in and go from from the wing-T to the spread offense, you're going to have your growing pains, but so far, so good," Pierro said.

Poly also returns defensive linemen Kevin Arrue and Gerardo Garcia, two of the best in the East Valley League, so there are some good building blocks.

Of the six others in the league, Arleta (11-2) is the only one competing in Div. I. The Mustangs' top returning player is Dejon Coleman, who as a junior rushed for 580 yards, caught 18 passes and scored 14 touchdowns.

A couple of other traditional City Section Div. I programs, San Fernando and Granada Hills, are moving to Div. II, and both could be title contenders in the smaller division.

Just three years ago, San Fernando advanced to the Div. I quarterfinals, but the Tigers have gone 3-7 in each of the past two seasons. Granada Hills has not won a playoff game since 2003, but the Highlanders have a three-year starting quarterback in Josh Szin.