It’s going to be an interesting year for the Moore League in boys’ soccer, with all but one team entering the start of league play with a winning record. The Wilson Bruins drew the first big result of the year on opening day, defeating Millikan at DeHaven Stadium, 1-0.
The Bruins showed great poise in striking when the chance was there for them, then playing strong with the lead.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who’ve played in this game since they were young, so it’s getting easier for them,” said Wilson coach CJ Brewer, whose team was playing their first game with the full roster back from club ball. “At the same time we’re telling them this game doesn’t mean anything. Anyone can beat anyone this year, the league is deep. It’s going to be a battle.”
Wilson (4-2-1) took the lead in the 48th minute as Javi Cervantes found the net on a redirect through the box.
Brewer said that because of the length of 6’5” Millikan goalie Max Hintz, his team was going for that kind of score.
“Their keeper is what we talked about before the game,” said Brewer. “He’s so big you can’t just shoot at him—it’s got to be a redirect or something that changes direction.”
Millikan (4-2-0) struggled to get into its vaunted counter offense, in part because the mucky nature of the field made it difficult for them to connect passes. The Rams ended with just one shot on goal, which wasn’t much of a threat.
“We didn’t play well today,” said Rams coach Rod Petkovic. “They deserved to win—we are capable of playing better.”
Both coaches said they were looking forward to a rematch at Wilson, where the new turf field should allow both teams to run their offenses more effectively.
Millikan goes into the Downey Tournament later this week, while Wilson will travel to Compton on Wednesday.
