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 Millikan Athletics for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The562’s coverage of Jordan Athletics is sponsored by former LBUSD superintendent Chris Steinhauser and the Timu Foundation.
The Moore League football season continues on Friday as the Millikan Rams (1-6, 1-0) host the Jordan Panthers (0-7, 0-1) at DeHaven Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 pm.
In many ways, both teams have had similar starts to the season within different situations. It felt as if Millikan was able to essentially restart the season with its league opener, where the Rams were finally able to be as healthy as they’ve been all season in their first win of 2026 in a 32-28 victory over Lakewood.
For Jordan, the Panthers are still in search of their first win of the season under first-year head coach Rashaad Penny, and it’ll be an uphill battle on Friday night at DeHaven Stadium. The Panthers have surrendered over 40 points per game, and they’ll be facing a Millikan offense looking to continue building momentum after a tough non-league slate.
Millikan coach Romeo Pellum will be the first to tell anyone that his team’s performance against Lakewood last week fell short of expectations. Obviously, it was great for the Rams to reclaim the Hamilton Trophy after falling to Lakewood last year, but Pellum’s offensive focus moving forward is on protecting the ball and taking advantage of opportunities.
The Rams had a pair of turnovers last week but still managed their highest point total of the season, and Millikan is looking to take the next step while remaining healthy. Sophomore quarterback Jonah Tuaniga returned to the helm last week and went 13-for-20 for 225 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Possibly Millikan’s biggest returner from injury is Ryan Carter, who ran the ball 22 times for 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week while also catching two passes for 36 yards and the game-winning score. Millikan also received a big performance from two-way athlete Aden Taufa, who recorded a touchdown, an interception and a fumble recovery, all in the first half.
Jordan is hoping to hit the reset button coming off its bye week following a thrilling 58-48 loss to Cabrillo and a 35-8 loss to Wilson in the Panthers’ most recent game. Jordan has thrown the ball on 75% of its offensive snaps this season, led by quarterback Caydyn Hampton, who’s averaging 178 passing yards per game with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Athlete Samajay Jackson has been the Panthers’ biggest playmaker, averaging nearly 100 receiving yards per game with four receiving touchdowns. If Jordan does decide to run the ball, Romeo Amaya has been the lead back, averaging 36 rushing yards per game with three touchdowns this season.
Both teams will be in action next week, as Millikan hosts Long Beach Poly in one of Nike LA’s rivalry games, while Jordan will be on the road at Lakewood.
