The562’s coverage of football in 2023-24 is sponsored in part by the MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center Foundation and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Foundation
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
Millikan (6-3, 4-1) will host Cabrillo (2-7, 0-5) on Friday night at 7pm in a game that doesn’t appear that interesting on the surface–but that could actually have major implications on the Rams’ hopes to win their first CIF-SS title in 40 years.
The Rams are likely locked into second place in the Moore League, barring an upset of Jordan over Poly. But they’re very much not locked into what CIF-SS playoff division they’re in. Millikan is currently ranked No. 29, right on the bubble of being a low-ranked Division 2 team or a high-ranked Division 3 team. Why does that matter? Well, Division 3 will be an easier path to a championship, as would being a high seed that opens up at home against a lower-seeded opponent. The Rams have been victims of close, exciting games the last two years in the playoffs.
What will determine if they go up or down in the CalPreps rankings? Essentially, their margin of victory Friday night should they prevail against the Jags. A huge win would likely see them hold steady or move up slightly, where a closer game would see them stay the same or drop spots. At the end of the day it’s all up to the CalPreps algorithm, and Rams fans won’t really know where they’ll be until the playoff brackets come out on Sunday at 10am.
