The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
The talk of the town during football season was the long-awaited showdown between Long Beach Poly and Millikan at DeHaven Stadium. With tarps and fencing put up around the entire field, the bleachers packed with fans, and TV cameras along the sidelines, the stage was set for the most-anticipated Moore League football game in years.
It’s rare that a regular season matchup would crack a year-end Top 10 list, Long Beach teams regularly winning section and state championships year after year, but this one lived up to the hype. The Rams’ powerful running game racked up over 300 yards and 6 TDs on the ground, led by a monster 258-yard, 4-TD game by Anthony League in their 53-40 win over the Jackrabbits, snapping their 15-year, 81-game Moore League winning streak.
Millikan trailed 26-14 at halftime, but League’s physical running wore down the Poly defense in the second half–one the Rams won by a margin of 39-14.
“My mind is blank when I’m running, whoever’s in my face I’m either gonna make a move or I’m gonna run through you,” said League. “Half the time they were in my face, so I had to run through them.”
The victory helped Millikan complete an unbeaten league season, securing their first outright league title since 1973.
“We wanted it,” said Millikan coach Romeo Pellum. “Our kids wanted it more. They were hungry. They left it all on the field today, and that’s what we needed to beat that team.”
Millikan had been knocking on the door in recent seasons, playing some close games against the Jackrabbits–including an overtime thriller at Vets in 2023. But this past season was when the Rams finally got over the hump, taking the rivalry against Poly to the next level. Surely both teams are looking forward to the rematchlater this year on Oct.10.
