They're Rich and We're Not: '4th and Forever' Catch-Up

After the last-minute victory over the Narbonne Gauchos, the Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits once again feel like they have a shot at taking another championship. Coach Raul Lara reminds them not to make the same mistakes they did two weeks ago. This isn't the time to rest on their laurels, because their next opponent is a team Poly has never beaten: The Mission Viejo Diablos.

"Everybody wants to beat you," Coach Lara says. "The beauty of this game right now, and the beauty of this team, you didn't give up."

Trusting one another helped the Jackrabbits eventually win against Narbonne, but Mission Viejo is a bigger test. Defense and offense must really work together.

When he isn't coaching, Raul Lara works at Central Juvenile Hall.

Maintaining graveyard hours there allows Lara to coach during the day. He considers his two jobs more symbiotic than mutually exclusive. The cases he encounters while at the juvenile hall motivate Coach Lara to keep his players out of trouble. He has an ever-evolving firsthand knowledge of the temptations and threats Long Beach teenagers face, and Lara uses what he learns to help keep students he works with on the right track.

Many of Poly's students live in rough neighborhoods, come from low-income families, and face myriad other daily struggles. It's up to him and other teachers be positive role models and mentors for Poly students.

In a way, even the game against Mission Viejo is an extension of those tribulations and the drive to overcome life in the impoverished area of Long Beach. The Diablos are a very smart, well-trained team, and their players outweigh Poly's by an average of 30 pounds. Coach Lara says the team also represents what Mission Viejo symbolizes as a community: Richer lifestyles, more academic opportunities that come along with wealthier areas, and even the racial divide.

"It ain't just about Poly," Coach Lara says. "It ain't just about you."

For a lot of the senior players, getting noticed by the scouts is still a huge priority. Since missing the first game of the season, defensive lineman Devin Jackson hasn't gotten much time on the field. He asks Jeremiah how he feels about spending practices on the sidelines now that he's been switched to defense and struggled during the Narbonne game. Does that make him worry about playing Mission Viejo?

Jeremiah isn't intimidated by the Diablos.

"If we're mentally ready," he says, "then physically we'll be there -- we'll dominate the game."

He believes there's a lot of talent on the Poly team. They can win. Devin just hopes he gets a chance to prove he's part of that talent.

At school, members of the Jackrabbits take time to trade stories about Mission Viejo's reputation. They have nicer facilities, more support -- more.

"But they blow teams out, though. Like 42-0," says linebacker Jacob Irving.

It's easy to attribute Mission Viejo's success to a wealthier lifestyle, but the truth is that the Diablos also play hard. If Poly wants to win, then the Jackrabbits are determined to simply play harder.

With more media and scout coverage than usual, too, this game also adds a lot more pressure to Poly's quarterbacks. Starting quarterback Chaiyse Hales works hard to nail the passes he's missed the last couple games.

Coach Lara is pleased to say that every player seems a lot more focused than they have at any point this season. To stay on top, the Jackrabbits should always aim to practice with that much heart. Like Mission Viejo, they need to aim for perfection.

Feeling good about a solid afternoon of training, Devin spends an evening out with friends and his girlfriend Courtney. They've been together long enough that Courtney hopes to transfer into whichever college Devin attends, but that isn't their only challenge. Courtney's parents still don't know that she and Devin are dating.

"Her parents love her, but they don't want her to date a black guy," Devin tells his friends.

The constant secrecy on top of a demanding football schedule makes it hard for Devin to see Courtney. He's not sure what it'll do to their relationship this year. Without being scouted, Devin doubts he'll even be able to get a scholarship to attend college at all, but he doesn't think he has a chance of being seen by a scout when Coach Lara won't play him more. He's got two big problems bearing down on him and no immediate solutions for either.

Jeremiah commiserates with Devin and tries to give him some motivation.

"When you get in -- I don't care if it's one play or half a play... you've gotta seize that moment," he says. Once the coaches see how valuable Devin is on the field, they'll be hard-pressed to relegate him to bench-warming again.

One way for all of Poly's player to shine? Beat Mission Viejo. If they go in humble but dedicated to winning, then they have a chance to be the first Poly team to ever best Mission Viejo on the field.

Meanwhile, the Mission Viejo team get together for food the night before the game. They bond by joking about Poly and the Long Beach community, beyond confident that they'll win against the Jackrabbits by 30 points or more.

When the game starts, it seems like the Mission Viejo players may be right. Poly gets penalized early, the plays are sloppy, and Coach Lara is furious.

All the hard work they put in earlier in the week seems to have disappeared.

"Are we just freaking out?" Coach Lara asks. "You guys are sucking right now, because you're scared."

But it doesn't get better. Coach Lara pulls Chaiyse out of the game and subs in his son, Emmanuel. Despite Poly's best efforts, Mission Viejo continues to overwhelm the team, scoring touchdown after touchdown. By the third quarter, Mission Viejo is up, 27-0.

Poly finally scores on the last play of the game, but the touchdown is "too little to late," according the announcer. As the clock winds down, Mission Viejo has made good on its prediction and maintained Poly's losing legacy, winning the game 37-7.

Now with a record of 2-2, Coach Lara is terrified that the Jackrabbits may just repeat last year's poor showing.

Tune in next week to see if Poly can pull it together again. All-new episodes of "4th and Forever" air Thursdays at 9/8 on Current TV.

For more information, visit http://current.com/4thandForever.