HIGH SCHOOL

Centennial will open football season vs. Long Beach Poly

Richard Obert
azcentral sports
Peoria Centennial coach Richard Taylor talks to Isaac Haney after beating Phoenix Brophy Prep on Sept. 11, 2014.

Peoria Centennial isn't allowed to leave Arizona to play in football games, per district policy, Centennial Athletic Director Brett Palmer said. So it has someone from out of state coming to them.

And it's a pretty big name in high school football circles.

Long Beach Poly will play at Centennial to open the season Aug. 21, according to Palmer.

"They were in contact with us, and I ran it by my coach (Richard Taylor)," Palmer said.

The Long Beach Poly program is led by former NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Antonio Pierce.

In February, Long Beach Poly had 10 players sign national letters of intent with two of them -- defensive back Iman Marshall (USC) and defensive lineman Joseph Wicker (Arizona State) -- doing it live on ESPN.

The school has been a DB pipeline to USC with players such as Willie McGinest, Mark Carrier and Darrell Rideaux.

It has produced more than 60 NFL players, according to its website.

Last season, the Jackrabbits went 11-2, losing to Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco 33-21 in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

California schools usually start their season later than Arizona, but Palmer said that Long Beach Poly was able to get approval from the California Interscholastic Federation to begin earlier.

Centennial offensive lineman Steve Bailey, who picked up his first scholarship offer on Thursday from Northern Arizona, is excited about playing them.

"It will be a good matchup," Bailey said.

Initially, Centennial was trying to line up the defending Division I champion to open on zero week, but Chandler declined. Chandler and Centennial opened last season with Chandler coming from behind at Centennial 28-24. Centennial ended up winning the Division II championship.

This new school year, Centennial will be playing in Division I.

"Coach Taylor's philosophy is that he'll play anybody, any time," Palmer said.

It won't get any easier the following Thursday when Centennial plays defending Division III champion Scottsdale Saguaro at a neutral site yet to be determined.