The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
Long Beach Wilson certainly has recorded a lot of history during its over 100 years of existence, and on Friday night the football team added to those accolades as they defeated Great Oak 32-13 to punch their ticket to the CIF Southern Section Division 9 championship. It is the first football championship appearance in school history.
“It means nothing, because we haven’t really done anything,” Wilson coach Travis Clark said. “You know, we’ve done a little bit. We’re just getting to the title game, but we haven’t done what we’re set out to do, you know, we’re trying to win a championship.”
After Great Oak won the toss and elected to receive, the Bruins’ defense came up big forcing a punt to get the ball to their offense.
On the first play, Mack Cooper found Deuce Weston in the middle of the field and he broke free for a 67-yard to give the Bruins 7-0 two minutes into the game.
“We help each other,” junior Thomas Jones said. “You saw two slot (receivers) running corner (routes) to help our teammates and get Deuce wide open for his touchdown. We know if we get the ball in his hands he can make big things happen.”
It was a meaningful win for Weston after transferring to Wilson before the season and had to sit out a portion of the season. READ MORE about Weston.
“A lot of my boys didn’t even get the chance to play the same year. So, my team did that for the boys who couldn’t play, and we did for each other,” Weston said. “Because we know this game is bigger than just us. It’s all about all the alums, all the history, Long Beach, it’s just bigger than us.”
After the Bruins’ Thomas Jones recovered a Great Oak fumble, Wilson marched right down the field and Cooper connected with Max Barbee for a 23-yard touchdown to push Wilson’s lead to 14-0.
“Just as much as believing in myself I believe in my teammates and my coaches,” Cooper said after completing 13 of his 17 pass attempts for 223 yards and three touchdowns. “I have a lot of trust in my coaches and everything they tell me.”
Great Oak didn’t give up after trailing 14-0 as they went on a 50-yard drive that came up short as the Bruins’ came up with a fourth down stop.
The Bruins (9-4) then went on a meticulous 7-minute drive that leaned on Weston and Jamell Edmond as Wilson went 81 yards and Kori Scott dove in for a 1-yard touchdown to get up 20-0 with 5:13 left in the half.
Wilson took that lead into the half and came out on fire as Weston once again got loose and scored on a 42-yard touchdown run to make it 26-0 with 10 minutes left in the third.
Evan Mack then gave the Bruins the ball right back with an interception as the sophomore was all over the field for Wilson. He had four pass deflections in the second half.
“I want to go up against the best,” Mack said. “I want to be the best, and I think that helped me a lot going forward.”
After Great Oak’s defense came up with a stop, the Wolfpack got a huge lift from Ryder Smith as he broke loose for a 48-yard touchdown to cut Wilson’s lead to 26-7.
Cooper and the Bruins answered right back as Wilsok went on a 77-yard drive that was capped by Cooper finding Jaden Frauchiger for a 9-yard touchdown to push the lead to 32-7.
The Wolfpack answered back again after Reagan Ricken found Ryder Parks for a 26-yard touchdown.
Weston finished the game with 246 total yards and two touchdowns as the Bruins punched their ticket to the championship game next week against Highland.
“It’s huge, you know, we’re now part of history and it means everything to us,” Jones said. “We worked so hard and put so much time in and it’s all paying off.”
“We’re doing it for this community, you know, all these people deserve it,” Clark said.
