The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The Moore League season continues for Lakewood (2-5, 0-1) this week, while Millikan (0-6, 0-0) opens its league schedule on Friday night as the two rivals square off at John Ford Stadium with kickoff set for 7pm.
The Lancers had an uphill battle in front of them last week against Long Beach Poly, which ended in a 55-0 loss in the Lancers’ league opener on the road. Most importantly, Lakewood came out of that matchup healthy and is looking to retain the Hamilton Trophy with a second straight win over Millikan.
That trophy had remained at Millikan for the previous five years before Lakewood defeated the Rams 3-0 last year for its first win over Millikan since 2019. Both teams will certainly be looking for more offensive production this time around after last year’s defensive battle, in which the difference was a first-half field goal from Lakewood kicker Jake Vega.
For Millikan, that production has been a struggle this year through a winless non-league slate, but the Rams are hoping to finally put a full game together with a largely healthy roster and the addition of several transfers, many of whom debuted last week in a 42-7 loss at Palos Verdes. That loss concluded a tough slate to start the season for Millikan, but Friday should provide a much more competitive matchup between two teams ranked just 10 spots apart in the latest CIF Southern Section rankings.
If those rankings are any indication of Friday’s matchup, then Millikan enters as the slight favorite. It’ll be on sophomore quarterback Jonah Tuaniga to lead the way for the Rams, as he’ll get the start after battling injuries this season. Much of the offense will hinge on the status of running back Ryan Carter and receiver Jay Williams, who will each be key contributors alongside the Rams’ new additions following the sit-out period.
Millikan’s offense will have to deal with a Lakewood defense that gave the Rams plenty of trouble last year, racking up an interception, a pair of sacks and seven tackles for loss. Senior Garon Harden will lead that defense with 12 tackles for loss this season, while junior Terrish Weston Jr. leads the secondary with four interceptions.
Offensively, Lakewood has a completely new look this year with senior quarterback Aidan Kautsky, who’s averaging just 100 passing yards per game with two touchdowns and three interceptions. The ground game will be key for Lakewood, which has a backfield led by seniors Thales Nguyen and Jordan Montgomery.
Millikan will counter with a defensive line that’s been strong against the run but is still searching for its first sack of the year as the Rams look to generate more pressure when Lakewood goes through the air. Millikan’s secondary has been led by senior Josh Miyake and junior Soren Jensen, while senior Matteo Palma has the Rams’ lone interception this year.
The Moore League season continues next week, with Lakewood traveling to Wilson while Millikan hosts Jordan.
