Moore League football teams have a variety of experiences already this season, so it’s hard to set realistic expectations.
The start of the new league season tonight sends Millikan to Jordan where the Panthers haven’t beaten the Rams since 2016. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Jordan (2-2) has the best record in the city after beating Kennedy and Fairfax in nonleague action. The Panthers have also suffered lopsided losses against JW North and St. Paul so they’ve already learned a variety of valuable lessons. Senior Jeremie McGurn has scored a team-high four touchdowns and leads the defense with seven tackles for loss.
Millikan (1-3) has lost a pair of close home games to Santa Ana and La Mirada by a combined margin of eight points. But Millikan has a variety of experience coming into league with a blowout win over St. Anthony and a blowout loss at Carlsbad.
“We’re two plays away from being 3-1,” Millikan coach Romeo Pellum said. “The Santa Ana and La Mirada games are games we should win. Going back to my first year, that was the story of our season. We have to make sure that’s not the story of this season.”
An abundance of penalties have been a thorn in their sides, and Pellum said he and his coaching staff have tried to hold the Rams accountable for those miscues in practice this week.
Millikan has yet to play at full strength this season but are getting senior lineman Luke Clapham and other starters back from injury tonight.
“You don’t know what to expect no matter what they’re record is,” Pellum said of league games. “The coaches are good throughout the league, it’s just about what team shows up.”
Last season, Millikan used a few big special teams plays to beat Jordan.
