The562’s football coverage for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
With a big game looming next week, Lakewood’s senior leaders made sure that the Lancers didn’t look past Jordan as they traveled to the North Side on Friday night.
Kade Casillas and Tiwan Jones accounted for every Lancers touchdown as Lakewood defeated Jordan 33-2 – setting up a big contest on the road against Millikan next week.
“Plays might break down and they know I’m going to be rolling,” Casillas said about his ability to keep plays alive and find his playmakers. “And they are going to find the open spot and they’ll find me and I’ll find them and it’s the connection we’ve built. They’re used to it.”
Lakewood (5-3, 3-1) started the game focusing on the run and Jordan Montgomery got out fast as his opening run went out for a first down. However, Jordan (1-6, 0-3) got back to their game plan and the Panthers were able to contain Casillas as they were able to force a punt.
The Lancers answered back forcing a 3-and-out and the Lancers went back to the run as Montgomery got loose for another run and he kept it going with another first down as he finished the game with 67 yards on 15 carries.
Casillas capped the 73-yard drive with a three yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
“We just got to keep things going practice by practice – we have a goal,” Casillas said about what the team needs to do to keep things going. “It starts week by week – we got Millikan on the clock.”
On Jordan’s next possession Lakewood’s red swarm forced another putn and on the return Tiwan Jones yelled “Fire, Fire” and burst to the ball and took it 50 yards for a touchdown and Lakewood went up 13-0.
“I just think it all starts with the little things,” Jones said about his team getting ready for big Moore League games. “Making sure we’re onsides and checking with the refs. Even at practice, we’re making sure we have the right clothes on. We’re just making sure we do the little things right and then we’ll have a hell of a team.”
After a slow start to the game, Lakewood turned it up in the second quarter as Casillas found Jones for a 63-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 20-0 with 4:04 remaining until halftime.
Looking to get something going before half, Jordan went 3-and-out and on the punt the Panthers mishandle the snap and Lakewood gets a short field with time ticking down in the first half.
On the first play of the possession, Casillas got loose on the first play for a 20-yard touchdown and the Lancers would go into the half leading 26-0.
Both teams went back and forth in the third as the Lancers came up with an interception and went right back to the air as Casillas finds Jayden Moore for a 33-yard touchdown for to push the lead to 33-0.
With the win, Lakewood can now turn their attention to their last two games of the regular season that will determine a lot in the Moore League standings.
“We’re not going to lie,” Lakewood coach Mario Morales said. “We’re looking ahead, but we understand that the Moore League championship goes through Millikan. They’re the defending champions one way or the other. But all that would have meant nothing if it wouldn’t taken care of business tonight.”
Jordan wouldn’t be shut out as they would get a safety late in the game.
“We had a plan in a contain them,” Jordan Alfred Rowe said. “I think we contain them pretty well, but they make the big plays. We can’t stop the big plays. We got to stop the big plays.”
The Panthers will be on the road next week against Compton and Lakewood will be on the road against Millikan.
