Written by Allurabella Chandler, Staff Writer
On September 4, 2026, Poly High School’s football team went head to head against Redlands East Valley in a very close game.
This football game was highly anticipated, with fans unsure of who would win. Redlands East Valley scored a field goal early into the first quarter, taking the lead. Despite this, Poly’s team stayed calm, playing intensely to score the points they needed to win.
For the next two quarters of the game, Redlands East Valley and the Poly Bears were playing with immense efforts. The Bears were trying relentlessly to take the lead, while the Wildcats were trying to maintain their position. It was not until the fourth quarter that the game got extremely intense.
As the pressure began to build, the Bears remained determined to make a comeback. After substituting in Senior Marjok Gustafson, the Bears were able to move up the field, closer to the end zone. As time was running out, Gustafson knew he had to work quickly and take action. With an amazing throw from Gustafson, Senior Zakkariah Michel caught the ball, scoring a touchdown that resulted in the Bears taking the lead. Michel was extremely excited to score points for his team, especially since this was his first touchdown of his football career.
With very little time left on the clock, the bears main focus was keeping the lead. After Redlands East Valley got possession of the ball, Senior Nasir Shahid sacked REV’a quarterback and knocked the ball out of his hands. After Shahid’s quick and successful play, Senior Nico Todorovski picked up the ball and ran it down the field. Todorovski, who was previously injured, successfully ran over twenty yards in considerable pain to score a touchdown.At least five of those yards, he was running with a REV player trying to drag him down. Senior Brendan Peterson, usually the punter for the team, scored the Bears a field goal, making the ending score 13-3.
The Bears win against Redlands East Valley set a good example for what is to come in the upcoming rivalry game against Martin Luther King High School on September 11. Our football team has been working hard to make this upcoming game one to remember.