Los Alamitos-Poly preview...

Here's a sneak peek at tomorrow's lead story on the P-T sports page:

By Robert Morales
Staff Writer
Dylan Lagarde played quarterback for Poly High for four weeks, then transferred to Los Alamitos after the Jackrabbits lost at Oceanside to fall to 1-3.
At the time, Jackrabbits coach Raul Lara said he told Lagarde he was going to make a change to Chris Leachman, and that Lagarde checked out shortly thereafter.
The rumor mill has since been working overtime, but Lagarde has kept his reasons for the move to himself. Lagarde's father, Marvin, politely declined to speak on the record about the subject at Los Al's practice Wednesday.
One thing is certain: Lagarde is now the Griffins' quarterback. As fate would have it, Los Al (8-2) will square off with Poly tonight in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Pac 5 Division playoffs. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Veterans Stadium.
The Jackrabbits (5-5) had to win their last three regular-season games to qualify for the playoffs, so Lara wants his charges to concentrate on winning the game, not the high emotions they may have because they are going against a player who left the team.
Easier said than done.
"I think it's only common sense that the kids are going to have a little bit of that," said Lara, whose team is two-time defending Pac 5 champion. "We are trying to make that not be an issue. Our main issue is to win and move on in the playoffs.
"But think about it, if you were a player, wouldn't you be thinking that? Deep down inside, it's there."
Lara said his biggest concern is the Los Al running game led by junior Nick Richardson.
"Their offensive line is probably one of the better lines we have seen in a while," Lara said. "Then, with that great running back ... we have to stop the run."
Richardson has rushed for 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns.
It seems Lara may be getting through to his players about where their focus should be. Defensive lineman Michael Teo, who leads the Jackrabbits with 85 tackles, spoke about that Wednesday at Poly's practice.
"I see him as just another quarterback on another team," Teo said of Lagarde. "I gotta do my job. Everyone does their job on defense, we're going to win. We gotta focus on winning the game, stop the run and stop the pass."
John Barnes, the longtime Los Al coach, was asked if he was worried Poly players might get carried away in going after Lagarde.
"It's a good question," Barnes said. "And the answer is probably no to all of that. I believe that is why you have referees, so the kids get protected in football games. They're going to go after Nick Richardson because he is going to have the ball more."
The Jackrabbits will be led tonight by Leachman, who has passed for 823 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions since taking over the controls. Speedy receiver Kaelin Clay leads with 23 receptions for 438 yards and four touchdowns, and tight end Earnest Pettway has 18 receptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
Poly may be just 5-5, but Barnes knows the Jackrabbits are formidable.
"I think it's going to be wire-to-wire, a tough game for both teams," Barnes said. "Poly has kind of hit their stride. They still have the same good players everywhere and I don't think the coaches have lost their marbles, like people think."
As for Lagarde, he spoke briefly to the Press-Telegram as he was walking to the parking lot with his father Wednesday evening at Los Al.
"It's going to be fun," he said of playing his former teammates.
"I have a lot of friends over there. After the game, we're not going to be mad at each other. We're still going to be friends."
robert.morales@presstelegram.com