The Jackrabbits are in the middle of a big shakeup. And if Raul Lara—aka their legendary 13-year head coach—doesn’t weigh in, it’s a total missed vibe check. After Stephen Barbee’s exit left Long Beach Poly hanging, they snagged a defensive mastermind to steer the ship. Looks like the program is now gearing up to become a straight-up defensive fortress, channeling their inner Empire Strikes Back on the field. And with a Notre Dame alum running the show, they’re ready to level up big time. But seriously, what’s Coach Lara thinking about this exciting new era? Gotta hear from the OG Jackrabbit!

Raul Lara is all heart when he’s showing his appreciation for someone or their work. Now that we have Justin Utupo on his former team, how can coach Lara not chime in to show his contentment? Raul clearly couldn’t be happier as he took to Instagram to show his support for Jackrabbits’ new HC Justin, sharing a story with the message “Congrats, Coach.” Well, it’s a significant achievement in itself to get involved with a program that has a history of producing excellent players and a track record since the 1960s.

However, it’s not like coach Justin Utupo is any less remarkable in the game. Utupo was a straight-up beast at Lakewood, an All-CIF defensive end who helped the Lancers make back-to-back CIF semifinal entries. After three years, Utupo joined Notre Dame, playing 36 games. Then he came back to Long Beach in 2017 and turned Millikan’s trash fire of a team (1-9 record) into a legit championship contender. In just two seasons, he made them 17-6 with a 10-2 league record and playoff wins. Now talk about a glow-up like this. 

Moreover, in 2021, Utupo came back to Lakewood and basically steadied the ship for a program that had been struggling. In four years, the Lancers went 23-24 overall and 15-9 in the league, with a historic run to the CIF championship game in 2022. It’s evident that Lakewood has cycled through many coaches since Thadd MacNeal, but Utupo has made a lasting impact.

Now this gives three reasons for Raul Lara to celebrate: first, the state championship win; second, his former team getting a talented coach; and last but not least, his revenge story meeting a happy end.

Raul Lara’s revenge tale

In his very first season as head coach, Raul Lara effortlessly showed the whole football world how to stack a five-star buffet, winning the national championship after cruising past his old rivals. No surprise there, considering how he transformed the Jackrabbits into a football powerhouse, guiding them to six CIF titles and an incredible 142-30 record. Now you know Mater Dei’s president was not wrong when he said, “Lara’s resume speaks for itself.” But winning against De La Salle is not just about the championship title; there’s more spice to it.

Let’s go back to the year 2001, when Raul Lara used to call plays for Long Beach Poly, one of the greatest high school football teams of all time. That time, the Jackrabbits were going up against De La Salle, and the result was obviously not in his favor. The team fell short against them with a 29-15 score and left an empty spot in Raul Lara’s heart. And since then, this victory was due.

However, 23 years of a long-awaited revenge story finally met a happy end when Mater Dei won the championship title against De La Salle. The Jackrabbit’s coach in him didn’t just make them lose but made sure he did it with style. Plus, let’s not forget Raul Lara is not new to victories.

The HC has not only racked up six championship titles but has even secured 6 more as an assistant with multiple CIF MVP Coach of the Year honors. Now it’s pretty clear why Mater Dei’s are the champions. This win proves legends don’t fade, they evolve. Now, it’s Justin Utupo’s turn to carry the torch that Raul Lara lit.