The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The562’s high school soccer coverage for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Long Beach Poly soccer alum Kennedy Justin.
The Moore League has provided some close games in the first round of action and Monday night was no different at John Ford Stadium.
After Lakewood and Millikan each took their shots in the first half, it was the Lancers that took an early second-half lead, however it was the Rams who scored two goals in a 3-minute span that was capped by Ethan Weinman who scored the game-winner in the 69th minute as the visitors came away with a 2-1 win.
“In that moment my mind was kind of racing,” Weinman said of what was going through his mind before he scored the game-winner. “You know, I had seen that the balls were kind of falling into the back post a decent amount. So, I set myself up there and it landed for me I just figured I could place them with a lot of power..put it in the back of the net and the keeper couldn’t get there.”
Millikan attacked Lakewood using some long passes early on a looking for their speedy attackers to catch the Lancers off balance, but with some close attempts Lakewood didn’t give up any goals and looked to get their playmakers involved including Michael Gutierrez.
With a handful of corner kicks early in the contest, the physical play gave Lakewood free kick but Kirby Sheets came up with a stop as neither team was able to find score after the first 40 minutes of action.
In the second half, Millikan continued to get some good pressure from Grant Johnson as they used the counter to create opportunities, but after not getting some good looks – Gutierrez finally scored with his left foot in the 60th minute as Lakewood took a 1-0 lead.
Lakewood appeared to be in a great spot to take a 2-0 lead a few minutes after that after a foul awarded a penalty shot, but it was off the mark and the Lancers held onto a 1-0 lead.
Millikan finally scored after Matthew Resendiz delivered with plenty of congestion in front of the goal to tie the game in the 66th minute.
“If they go up to 2-0, that makes it, makes it pretty difficult for us,” Millikan coach jeff Schofield said of Lakewood’s missed PK. “I was sitting there, thinking, if he saves this, this could be the best thing that happened to us. A missed PK can shift the momentum.”
That’s exactly what happened for the Rams as a long cross bounced off a Lakewood defender and Weinman was there to clean it up to give Millikan a 2-1 lead in the 69th minute.
Lakewood continued to battle but wasn’t able to find the equalizer as they fall to 2-2 in league play.
“Typical high school soccer, long throw ins, kickball,” Lakewood coach Alex Diaz said. “We're not the team that's gonna compete in those kinds of games, because we don't have the height.”
Millikan will now have five straight home games starting with Compton on Wednesday, while Lakewood visits Wilson.
