Few games carry the weight that Millikan and Long Beach Poly’s 2024 football showdown did—and even fewer manage to live up to the hype.
With tarps and fencing surrounding the field, the bleachers packed with fans, and TV cameras lining the sidelines, the stage was set for the most anticipated Moore League football game in years. When the dust settled, Millikan snapped the Jackrabbits’ 15-year Moore League winning streak with a 53-40 victory that lived up to every bit of the hype.
The win helped Millikan complete an unbeaten league season, securing their first outright league title since 1973. It was also the first time a Moore League opponent took down the Jackrabbits since 2009.
“We wanted it,” said Millikan coach Romeo Pellum after the game. “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.”
The Rams’ powerful running game racked up over 300 yards and 6 TDs on the ground, led by a monstrous 258-yard, 4-TD game by Anthony League. League helped Millikan come from behind after trailing 26-14 at halftime, using his physical run-style to wear 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.”
It’s the second straight year that Millikan and Long Beach Poly win Game of the Year following an overtime thriller at Vets in 2023. Surely both teams are looking forward to the rematch later this year on Oct.10, in what’s already on the radar for game of the year for a third straight year.
