The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
They say that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, but a good start doesn’t hurt either.
Millikan junior Vonnae Ocegueda was in the right place at the right time to score in the first minutes of the first and second half as the Rams beat Lakewood 4-2 at home on Friday night.
“He’s a very smart, crafty player so he’s good at linking up play but also he’s good at finding spaces,” Millikan coach Jeff Schofield said of Ocegueda. “If you’re near the box and you find open space the ball pops to you.”
The win keeps Millikan atop the Moore League standings with 13 points as they hunt a third consecutive title, and Lakewood is currently in a tie for second place with seven points.
Last year, Lakewood used a high-energy press to make history while reaching CIF Southern Section and CIF State championship games. This year, Millikan is doing the same to find success no matter what their opponent is doing.
“I think our identity is to high press,” Schofield said. “As much as coaches want to change for opponents, I feel like if I do that, then that takes us out of what makes us Millikan and what makes us special. I don’t want to change that.”
That strategy paid dividends early and often for the Rams. In the second minute, Ethan Weinman sent a dangerous cross into the box from the left flank. A Lakewood defender tried to chest it out of the danger area, but Ocegueda was there to pounce and finish with one touch off the half volley.
“It was surprising,” Ocegueda said. “I was just in the spot and I thought about blasting the ball because that’s what I do but coach talks to me about placing the ball so I had to do that and luckily it went in.”
There wasn’t much offense to speak of for the rest of the half while Millikan dominated possession and turned away all of Lakewood’s attempts to feed star forward Michael Gutierrez. The Lancers didn’t have a shot on goal until the second half as Millikan’s best defense was its aggressive attack.
“We’re a really high press team and coach has put that in us and I feel like the energy has been there lately,” Ocegueda said. “We’re trying to win every game and run through Moore League. We really like playing high press because then the other team feels pressured and sometimes that puts them in tough situations so that gives us the advantage.”
The first corner kick of the game came in the final minute of the second half and Millikan made it count. Pablo Lica’s service to the back post was met by a perfect header from Ivan Cervantes Vega that was sent back perfectly into the side netting as the Rams scored on the first and last scoring chance of the 2-0 half.
Millikan also ended up scoring on the first scoring opportunity of the second half. Juan Vasquez chased down a long ball forward off the opening kickoff and was taken down in the 18-yard box for a penalty kick. His attempt to convert went off the crossbar, but Ocegueda was there to collect the rebound and blast it home for his second goal and a 3-0 lead.
“I wasn’t scared and it was just the right place at the right time,” Ocegueda said.
Just like in the first half after Ocegueda’s opening salvo, Lakewood responded with better composure on the ball. Gutierrez and Brian Pioquinto got the first shots on goal for the Lancers at the hour mark, and after drawing a penalty kick, Pioquinto got his team on the board to make it 3-1 with 20 minutes left.
“I asked them to work and they did a good job in the second half,” Lakewood coach Alex Diaz said. “With these teams (like Millikan) when you give them time and space they punish you and that’s what they did.”
The Rams got the three-goal advantage right back in the 69th minute when Juan Vasquez completed a counter attack with his 12th goal of the season to make it 4-1.
On the last kick of the ball, Lakewood sophomore Jason Lara’s free kick was headed home by Gutierrez as the game ended 4-2.
Next week, Millikan will face Compton and Jordan while Lakewood faces Wilson and Cabrillo. The game between the Lancers and Bruins on Wednesday will go a long way in deciding the race for the top three spots in league.
Highlight video will be posted on Saturday.
