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The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The Millikan rushing attack has been on a historic tear and that continued Friday night as the Rams rushed for 529 yards on their way to a 69-28 win over Lakewood to keep the Hamilton Trophy for another year.
Anthony League rushed for 328 total yards with 256 yards on the ground and 72 yards receiving for another three-touchdown night.
“I’m so proud of everybody, our o-line, our quarterback, our receivers, especially our defense,” League said. “400 yards just in the first half.”
While League dominated for a majority of the game, Millikan’s JP Mialovski was able to kickstart the game with an 80 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 less than 20 seconds into the game.
However, Lakewood knew exactly how they wanted to attack the Millikan defense, and it started with Jojo Apisala who carried the load for the Lancers with six carries for 24 yards and a two-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 after an 11-play, 4-minute drive.
Millikan had the answer for Lakewood on the next drive and it was Mialovski again as he capped a 55-yard drive with 31-yard touchdown, his second of the night to make it 14-7.
“First play on defense for us was an explosive run,” Lakewood coach Justin Utupo said. “Hats off to Millikan and their offensive staff and what they’re able to do on the ground.”
Kade Casillas made sure the Lancers (5-3, 3-1) had an answer as he connected with Cecil Xavier Smith for an eight-yard gain and then broke loose for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 14-13 after the PAT was missed.
The Rams were relentless, scoring on each of their eight drives in the first play, three of them on the first drive.
Millikan’s next drive was their longest as they went on a 9-play, 60-yard drive that was capped by an 8-yard TD by Xavier Jones to put the Rams up 21-13.
On Lakewood’s next drive they stalled and a flag forced them to punt from their end zone and Millikan’s Malik Stacy blocked it out to force a safety to go up 23-13.
After the kick off, League scored his first touchdown on the next play for 62 yards to make it 30-13 early in the second quarter.
“Our O-Line is really great and then you have a really good quarterback that can do both and two good running backs and then you have receivers all over the field that can catch the ball,” Millikan coach Romeo Pellum said.
Millikan wasn’t done there as Jones got loose again this time for a 92-yard touchdown as the Rams scored 28 unanswered points midway through the second quarter.
Jones finished the game with 129 yards and three touchdowns. Mialovski had 175 yards passing and 139 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go with his two passing touchdowns.
“There’s a new sheriff in town,” Pellum said after Millikan’s victory to put them in position to win the Moore League title.
The Lancers didn’t stop there as Casillas connected with Caleb Tafua and Kenny Niumataevalu for a pair of touchdowns to make it 56-28 at halftime.
Early in the third quarter, Lakewood’s Apisala would need to be tended to by emergency personnel and was transported to the hospital.
After play resumed and after Mialovski connected with Jay Williams for a 31-yard touchdown to kickstart a running clock.
Millikan will look to cap off their undefeated Moore League season against Compton and Lakewood has a bye week before finishing the season against Wilson on Nov. 1.
