Sun Valley Poly Blanks Marshall 20-0 in Playoffs
Sun Valley Poly, seeded 12th, shut out fifth-seeded Marshall in a City Section Division I football playoff game.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Football
Sun Valley Poly defeated Marshall 20-0 in a City Section Division I football playoff game, advancing to the quarterfinals. Marshall, seeded fifth, completed its first 10-0 regular season in school history but was held scoreless.
Why it matters
The win moves Sun Valley Poly, seeded 12th, into the City Section Division I quarterfinals and ends Marshall's playoff run in a game where its quarterback was limited by injury. For Los Angeles-area football fans, it is a notable upset in the local postseason bracket.
Exusdus rushed for 174 yards on 13 carries and Justice Brown added 86 yards, while Marshall quarterback Nathaniel Cadet managed only 55 passing yards with two interceptions. Cadet, whose season totals stood at 1,570 yards and 24 touchdowns, was limited by a shoulder contusion and sprain suffered in the regular-season finale against Eagle Rock.
The players
Sun Valley Poly
Sun Valley Poly is a Los Angeles-area high school football program that finished the season 10-1 and competes in the City Section Division I playoffs.
Marshall High School
Marshall High School is a Los Angeles high school whose football team completed its first 10-0 regular season in school history before losing in the playoffs.
King Exusdus
King Exusdus is the Sun Valley Poly quarterback who rushed for 174 yards and a 82-yard touchdown in the playoff win.
Nathaniel Cadet
Nathaniel Cadet is the Marshall quarterback whose season was limited by a shoulder injury suffered in the regular-season finale.
The details
Sun Valley Poly ran a double-wing offense, with 290-pound lineman Diego Rodriguez clearing paths for runs. Quarterback King Exusdus took the snap from shotgun and ran 82 yards for a touchdown on the third offensive play, and Alijah Ochoa later threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Brown on fourth down.
Timeline
The regular-season finale against Eagle Rock, in which Cadet was injured, was played the week before the playoff game.
Sun Valley Poly defeated Marshall 20-0 in the City Section Division I playoff game on November 6, 2026.
Season Trajectory
Marshall's 10-0 regular season was its first in school history, yet the team had not won a Division I playoff game since 2000, so this loss extends a postseason drought despite its strongest record. Sun Valley Poly's advance to the quarterfinals keeps it in contention for the City Section title as the bracket narrows.
Fantasy and bracket players tracking Poly's run should note that the quarterfinal opponent is still undetermined among Chatsworth and Banning. Marshall's loss also means any roster or stat projections built around Cadet's passing numbers will need to account for his shoulder injury.
The takeaway
A single injury to a starting quarterback can reshape a playoff game, so readers tracking local bracket results should watch injury reports before the quarterfinals. Sun Valley Poly's ground-based double-wing attack showed how a physical line can carry a team through a postseason matchup.
What happens next
Sun Valley Poly will play in the City Section Division I quarterfinals, with possible opponents including Chatsworth and Banning.
Further reading
For more on the local bracket, see Los Angeles Football coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Los Angeles Times.
