The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
Times have changed in Lakewood. The city is no longer mostly pasture the way it once was, and the milk buckets in town now adorn a rivalry football trophy, not the milking lines of family-owned dairy farms. But while times have changed, the champions of the annual Mayfair/Lakewood rivalry game haven’t—not for the last seven years, at least. Once again, the Monsoons walked off the field as the Kings of Lakewood after defeating the Lancers in a 38-31 overtime thriller.
It’s Mayfair’s seventh consecutive win in the Milk Bucket rivalry series, which dates back to 1962.
“It means everything,” said Monsoons coach Derek Bedell. “It means that for the next 365 days, our kids have the opportunity to own the city of Lakewood when it comes to football. I’m just super proud of all our guys, they fought hard all night.”
A missed field goal by Mayfair at the end of regulation sent the game to overtime, where the Monsoons punched in a four yard touchdown run to take a 38-31 lead. Lakewood was stuffed on fourth and short by the Mayfair defense, setting off a celebration on the Monsoons’ sideline, and breaking the hearts of the Lakewood faithful.
“It’s right there,” said Lakewood coach Justin Utupo. “It’s right there for the taking. We just got to find a way to get it done. At the end of the day, coaches make a call, players are going to play—we got to find a way to get it done.”
Mayfair opened the game with a power run attack that, on third and 12 at midfield, yielded to an aerial assault. QB Jeremiah Calvin found receiver Martrail Mitchell on the sideline for a 51 yard score to put the Monsoons up 7-0. That lead only lasted 15 seconds as Cecil Xavier Smith answered almost immediately for Lakewood, taking the ensuing kickoff 96 yards down the right sideline for an answering score that tied the game at 7-7.
The Monsoons again kept the ball on the ground, alternating carries between Louis Johnson and Jeromy Powell as they motored down the field. Lakewood stopped Powell on third and goal thanks to a diving tackle from Rovana Tufugafale to hold the Monsoons to a field goal that put them up 10-7.
Lakewood quickly answered with a 65 yard touchdown run by Jojo Apisala, as he bruised his way through three would-be tacklers and into the open field for a long score. The Monsoons ensuing drive was ended by a third-down sack from Soloalofa Lepaga-Ili, and the Lancers used a balance attack on the next drive to eat up yardage, with QB Kade Casillas finding USC commit Caleb Tufua for a big gain, running backs Apisala and Nytrell Miller chewing up yards on the ground, and Casillas scampering in from 13 yards out to make it a 21-10 game midway through the second quarter.
Just as it looked like the Lancers might pull away, Mayfair went on a long drive keyed by Calvin, who ended up finding receiver Aidan Sullivan open in the end zone for a 22 yard touchdown that cut the lead to one score. Lakewood’s next drive was their only empty one of the first half, as they went away from the run game and had three incompletions. Mayfair got to midfield on their last drive of the first half but a Calvin Hail Mary attempt was intercepted by Lakewood’s Tiwan Jones to end the half with the Lancers leading 21-17.
In the second half, Lakewood’s first drive stalled out on three incompletions, followed by an eight play, eight runs Mayfair touchdown drive with a score by Chaz Gilbreath to take a lead at 24-21. A Lancers three and out gave it back to Mayfair, who got a Jeromy Powell 91 yard touchdown run on a power rush down the left sideline that put Mayfair up 31-21 after 21 unanswered points.
But the Lancers fought back, as touchdowns from Casillas to Xavier Smith cut the lead, and then a 27 yard field goal by kicker Andrew Heang tied it at 31 with 3:49 left in the game.
Mayfair had a balanced, time-draining drive that started at their own 20 with 3:49 left and ended with a game-winning field goal attempt by Jonathan Arreola. He appeared to hit a game-winner from 42 yards out, but the play was waved off on a Lakewood offsides penalty. Arreola’s next attempt at 37 yards was ruled wide right, sending the game to overtime.
“It’s the ebbs and flows of the game of football,” said Utupo. “The highs and lows and all the emotions within a big-time rivalry game. Our kids wanted it.”
Lakewood won the toss (tails) and had Mayfair go first, which resulted in Johnson’s touchdown four plays later. Lakewood ran it for six yards, had an incompletion, and then gave it to Apisala twice, with his second run on fourth and inches ruled short of the line to gain by the officials.
“The idea is you just gotta keep playing football,” said Bedell. “Whenever you’re given an opportunity you either find a way to put it away, or you find a way to screw it up. Tonight we were able to find a way to put it away, and I’m really proud of our kids and our coaches.”
Casillas was 11/25 for 238 yards and two total touchdowns; Apisala had 13 carries for 116 yards and the score; and Tafua had five catches for 101 yards.
For Mayfair, Calvin threw for 176 yards and a score; Johnson was the star with 31 carries for 115 yards and the game-winning touchdown; and Powell had eight acrries for 134 yards and a score.
Lakewood (2-2) will host Compton next Friday as the Moore League schedule opens, with a huge game against Long Beach Poly on the road looming on Sept. 27. Mayfair (3-1) will host Huntington Beach next Friday back at Ron Yary Stadium.
