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 Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The question on Thursday wasn’t if the Wilson football team was going to be the Moore League champion – it was whether or not they’d be sharing the title.
The Bruins answered empathetically as they defeated Lakewood 23-0 and planted their flag as the undisputed, undefeated Moore League champion at John Ford Stadium.
Wilson (9-1, 6-0) leaned on their senior core and Zacakariah Salcedo emphatically stamped the win in the final play of the game as he picked up his second sack of the night and tied the Bruins single-season record at 13.
“We’ve never won the Moore League,” Salcedo said of his senior teammates. “I feel like this was the year we were going to do it. My sack record was’cause I was hungry for it and I bet my dad too, so I had to do something about it.”
Lakewood (6-4, 4-2) started just like they wanted, handing the ball off to Jordan Montgomery and he got a first down on his first carry. Kade Casillas then found Montgomery for another first down. However, after a couple incompletions in the end zone – Lakewood turned the ball over on downs.
The Wilson offense has done a great job getting their playmakers the ball and they continued to do that as they used the run to open up the pass on their opening drive. Kori Scott got a short gain and then he opened the field with a 20-yard completion.
Then after a 17-yard gain from Thomas Jones, Cooper found Kyle Harris and he scored to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first quarter.
“It’s a great feeling,” Cooper said of being the Moore League champion. “I mean, my family – my brother went to Wilson and now I’m here. It’s just a great feeling to share this moment with all my teammates and have a great time.”
Cedric Lane got a first down for the Lancers on his first touch, but the Lancers drive stalled and the Bruins got their playmakers involved again.
The Bruins went right to their rushing attack as Kori Scott, and Jemel Grigsby showed what they can do in space as Wilson rushed for 52 yards and Scott capped the drive with a 1-yard dive to extend the lead to 14-0 with 5:47 left in the first half.
After forcing another three-and-out, Wilson settled for a field goal as Leo Osorio connected on a 30-yard field as the Bruins took a 17-0 lead.
With 26 seconds left in the half, Lakewood turned the ball over on a backward pass and Wilson recovered it on the Lancers’ 22 with 17 seconds remaining.
Cooper dialed up a pass to Thomas Jones and he got loose for a 22-yard score as Wilson took a commanding 23-0 lead at halftime.
Lakewood continued to battle as Kade Casillas had four completions to open the fourth quarter, but the Lancers couldn’t score as they turned the ball over on downs.
Cooper finished the game with two touchdown passes and 115 yards, while Grigsby had 95 yards and Scott had 90 yards and a touchdown.
With the win Wilson kept the shutout and the senior class defeated Poly, Lakewood and Millikan for the first time since they were in high school.
“We took it at heart because everybody thinks Wilson’s not good at football,” Salcedo said. “Wilson isn’t this and that and we decided we’re not going to let that happen. We’re just going to take it, and we’re gonna keep on moving everything.”
For first-year coach Raudric Curtis, this was the vision he had and they aren’t done as they prepare to be the first-place team out of the Moore League.
“All I needed was a couple of guys, leaders, a community that was willing to hear my message and to follow me,” Curtis said. “As I expressed my leadership, you on a daily, it was always through service. How can I support Cooper’s development? How can I support my coordinators of element? How can I make sure that every single person on my team feels valued and a part of it? So it was always beyond football. The first goal was to eliminate fear from their lives, and what you saw is an outcome of just taking zero doubt into every practice, every game, every opportunity to grow.”
Wilson and Lakewood will now await their playoff fate when the CIF playoff brackets are released on Sunday morning.
