Inglewood Defeats Long Beach Poly 36-10 Under the Lights at SoFi Stadium
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Inglewood High School took advantage of a rare opportunity on one of football’s biggest stages Friday night, defeating Long Beach Poly 36-10 at SoFi Stadium in a nonleague matchup.
Playing on the same field used by the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, the Sentinels combined a physical rushing attack with several explosive plays through the air to take control against one of California’s most historic high school football programs.
Inglewood’s backfield played a major role throughout the night. Senior running backs Semaj Welch and Marlon Watson gave the Sentinels multiple options on the ground, helping Inglewood establish its offense and control the pace of the game.
Welch provided one of the biggest moments of the second half, powering through the Long Beach Poly defense for a third-quarter touchdown. His physical running style consistently challenged the Jackrabbits at the line of scrimmage and helped Inglewood maintain control as the game progressed.
The Sentinels were not limited to the ground.
Senior wide receiver Brandon Crawford found the end zone, while junior Andre Williams also scored a touchdown as Inglewood’s passing attack forced Long Beach Poly to defend the entire field. The combination of the Sentinels’ rushing and receiving threats made it difficult for Poly to find a consistent defensive answer.
Long Beach Poly struggled to establish the same rhythm o
ffensively. The Jackrabbits had difficulty creating consistent yardage on the ground and entered the fourth quarter with only three points.
Poly continued competing despite the deficit. Sophomore Logan Kirk delivered one of the Jackrabbits’ most physical defensive plays of the night with a hard hit on an Inglewood receiver, briefly bringing energy back to the Poly sideline.
The Jackrabbits eventually reached the end zone in the fourth qu
arter, but by then Inglewood had created too much separation. The Sentinels closed out the game without allowing Poly to mount a serious comeback.
The victory improved Inglewood to 4-1, while Long Beach Poly dropped to 1-4.
Beyond the result, Friday night provided a unique stage for both programs. Complimentary tickets were distributed through the two schools with support from the Hollywood Park Foundation, allowing students, families and members of both communities to watch their teams compete inside an NFL stadium.
For Long Beach Poly, it marked the program’s second appearance at SoFi Stadium after facing Mission Viejo there in 2024. For Inglewood, the game offered an opportunity to represent its community inside a stadium located just minutes from its campus.
But once the lights came on, Inglewood made the night its own.
With a balanced offense, a productive rushing attack and a defense that prevented Poly from finding sustained momentum, the Sentinels walked off the SoFi Stadium field with a 36-10 victory and one of the most memorable wins of their season.
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