We Better Battle: '4th and Forever' Catch-Up

After last week's victory against Jordan High School, Poly's focus this week is on securing two wins in a row. The players are confident they can pull it off, but are careful not let it transform into cockiness. Last year the Jackrabbits lost to their archrivals, Lakewood. The school doesn't hold the same history of besting Poly that Mission Viejo does, but remembering they were beat last time Lakewood and Poly faced off reminds Poly players they can't afford to relax.

Luckily, head coach Raul Lara believes the Jackrabbits are finally starting to live up to their potential this year. The challenge now is to keep going. If each of the Poly players pushes himself, then they have a chance at dominating on the field once again.

Some of the Jackrabbits key players talk about strategy over burgers. Bijon Franklin, Devin Jackson, and Corey Waller all agree Poly simply cannot lose to Lakewood. End of story. They're seniors this year. They don't want to finish high school knowing they let Lakewood get the best of the team again. Offense and defense need to make sure they're on the same page.

Few players are as determined as defensive lineman and senior team captain Michael Teo.

According to the Coach Lara, "All the glory goes to the running back, the quarterback, and the receiver, [but] really, games are won in the trenches."

Thanks to players like Teo, linemen who never back down, the more flashy players are able to move freely. Lara wants all of Poly's players to have the kind of focus and tenacity that Teo possesses.

That is, if the players can manage to stay on the field.

The Jackrabbits are students first. Without passing grades, they can't play football, and some of the players are struggling academically. Player development coach Ty Buford pulls Jeremiah Hollowell aside to confront him about his schoolwork.

"If you don't do this part," he warns Jeremiah. "The part on the field is gonna stop so fast."

To keep Jeremiah in the game, they need to help him bring up his grades. He has a lot going on: He's a student, a young father, and a busy football player. With so much going on, it's easy to become overwhelmed. Stress can then lead to neglecting duties, which Jeremiah can't let happen.

Burford reminds Jeremiah that if he needs some assistance, he has to ask. If he doesn't and his academics continue to suffer, then he's also risking his career as a Poly Jackrabbit.

And things are definitely heating up for the Jackrabbits. They need every person on the field to give his all. Plus, Coach Lara has made Jeremiah a running back again. The team needs him to do well in school so that he can represent during the games.

The Lakewood game will be televised. If Poly doesn't practice well and play hard against Lakewood, then everyone in Long Beach will witness Poly letting them down. Coach Lara refuses to accept that fate, but he needs his team to make sure they're stepping up at all times. Right now, their third down plays are still sloppy. Acknowleding their weaknesses and actively working to fix them will help guarantee Poly comes out swinging on Friday night.

After practice, Michael Teo goes to visit his mother. Patti-Jo Teo has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Every chance Teo gets to see his mom is precious and important to him.

It's been a struggle. At first, Patti-Jo was reluctant to tell Michael about her diagnosis. She didn't want to burden him with the news and shatter his focus in school and sports, but Michael's relieved he knows. The news was definitely shocking, but he'd rather be there for his mom instead of having her feel weighed down by a secret.

Thanks to surgery, Michael's mother is currently in the clear, but she gets examined routinely to make sure the cancer doesn't return. If it does, she'll have to undergo chemotherapy in hopes of beating the disease another time.

"We'll always be here to support," Michael tells her. Her family's dedicated to seeing her through it. And in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits will all wear pink on the field.

Back at home with Jeremiah, he's taken the warnings from his coaches to heart. His girlfriend Noreesha helps him study. She tells Jeremiah she agrees with their advice: It's important for Jeremiah to graduate. He needs to prove to his son he's got things under control, and he needs to prove to himself he's capable of surviving all the responsibilities that have been thrown at him.

Jeremiah's grateful for how much she seems to care. Noreesha isn't the mother of his son, and she owes him nothing, but she's always been supportive of him.

For Noreesha, it just makes sense. Plus, she only expects from Jeremiah what she expects from herself.

"I have good grades," she says. "You should have them too."

On game day, everyone's pumped to reclaim the Jackrabbits' reputation as the victor for Lakewood-Poly games. For 30 years, Poly won each game against Lakewood High School. Last year's loss was a major upset, and Poly hits the field ready to make sure Lakewood never has that pleasure again.

Poly starts out strong. Jeremiah's first touchdown of the season is also the first touchdown of the game. He's glad to be playing running back again, and he's not about to give it up easily again.

Even when Lakewood ties the game, Jeremiah and starting quarterback Chaiyse Hales work to score another touchdown and restore Poly's lead. They need all the points they can get, too, because Lakewood isn't going down with a fight.

At halftime, the teams are tied. The score stands at 14-14. Despite some big plays form Lakewood, Coach Lara reminds the Jackrabbits not to start slacking. They still have a lot of work to do. If they're smart and play better defense, then they can stop Lakewood from scoring more.

Quarterback Chaiyse Hales throws a pass that's caught in end zone by Ernest Pettway, giving Poly another 7 points.

From there, Michael Teo leads the defensive line in stopping any Lakewood any players to score. Chaiyse throws another perfect pass, and when the game finishes out, Poly has effectively prevented Lakewood from turning last year's victory into a winning streak.

Poly wins, 27-17, and now Coach Lara definitely believes they have a chance at making it to championships.

Tune in next week to see if Long Beach Poly can turn two wins into three. An all-new episode of "4th and Forever" airs Thursday at 9/8c on Current Tv. For more information, visit http://current.com/4thandForever/