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.
For the third year in a row, the Millikan Rams will begin their postseason journey away from home–and in a higher division.
Romeo Pellum’s squad has moved up to Division 3 this season, and will be at Villa Park on Friday, Nov. 3 to begin the CIF-SS playoffs. The Rams were a Division 4 squad last season and played in Division 6 in 2022.
Pellum said he was pleased with where his team fell, after the Rams had spent time fluctuating between Division 2 or 3 for the last few weeks of the regular season.
“I think it’s appropriate for us,” Pellum said of the D3 draw, which includes a St. Francis team that Millikan beat 17-10 in their third game of the season.
Now the focus is on the Villa Park Spartans out of the Crestview League, who come in with a 9-1 record. Their only loss this season was against league rivals Foothill, a 23-22 defeat on Oct. 12.
The Spartans have outscored their opponents by a combined margin of 383-137 and defeated Brea Olinda 57-6 in their last regular season game.
“I know they’re big up front, and they beat Upland so we’ve got to watch that game,” said Pellum. “If we take care of things up front I think we’re in good shape.”
Upland High is the common opponent for both these teams, and in consecutive weeks. The Highlanders lost to Villa Park, 35-23, on Aug. 31 before earning a 28-16 victory at Millikan the next week.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Villa Park High School, which is a manageable 22-mile drive from the Millikan campus.
The winner would face either Inglewood or No. 2 seed Chaminade in the quarterfinals.
CLICK HERE for the complete Division 3 bracket.
