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.
Friday night at Wilson High School wasn’t about returning to former glory. It was about setting the standard for a brighter future.
Wilson football is back in the CIF Southern Section playoffs for the first time since 2019 and the Bruins started the Division 9 bracket with a convincing 42-13 win over Victor Valley.
Even after their first postseason win in five years, first-year coach Travis Clark turned his team’s attention to next week during their lengthy post game discussion.
“We’re here now,” he said. “But game two in the playoffs is the hardest.”
Even the players were talking about the standard they want to set instead of the history they want to repeat. Wilson reached a semifinal game in 2019.
“I think we haven’t protected the house as well as we wanted to,” Wilson junior Thomas Jones said. “We also haven’t stopped the run the way we wanted to. But our defensive line and linebackers stepped up.”
Jones and the Wilson defensive secondary came up with an incredible 11 pass deflections. That included interceptions by Jalen Nelson, Evan Mack and two byMax Barbee. The Bruins also limited a very potent Victor Valley offense to only six first downs before the fourth quarter when the game got out of reach.
“Without a doubt it has a lot to do with our coaches, defensive coordinator Sean Weston) he puts us in position to succeed and make plays,” Jones said. “Obviously we’ve been able to take advantage of those moments, but a lot of credit goes to him.”
Coach Weston’s son, Deuce Weston, was the star for Wilson’s offense with 137 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 14 carries. The elite recruit has seen the playoffs at his former school, and did what he could to prepare his team for primetime since these Wilson seniors had never seen the postseason.
“Anybody we play is good competition, so we can’t take any play off or take it easy,” Weston said.
Weston broke off a 40-yard run on the first play of the game to get the Bruins in the red zone.
“As soon as I touched the ball I definitely felt it,” Weston said. “I knew from the way we drove the ball down the field (on the first possession) We put in the work and we deserve this.”
On that opening drive, Wilson quarterback Mack Cooper converted a big 3rd down by finding Jones for 28 yards. Two plays later, Weston punched it in from six yards out to make it 6-0.
Victor Valley had a nice drive going in response, but a false start penalty on 3rd and 1 killed the momentum. The Jackrabbits defense stepped up to force a punt, but it was muffed and Wilson was set up with great field possession on the 35.
Again it was Weston who punished the interior of the Victor Valley front seven on his way to his second touchdown, and a 2-point conversion, to push Wilson’s lead to 14-0 at the beginning of the second quarter.
Victor Valley was able to get running back Vic Villa going a little bit on the ensuing drive, and on 4th down from the 22-yard line, quarterback Robert Middlebrooks found Xavier Bubba Matthews in the corner of the end zone to cut the lead to 14-7.
A pair of short passes and long gains from Cooper to Weston got Wilson right back into scoring position with time winding down in the half. With :30 left on the clock, Cooper went over the top to hit receiver Max Barbee at the goal line. And with :18 left, Cooper lofted it up to Barbee again for the score and a 21-7 lead at halftime.
The second half was owned by the Wilson defense as Evan Mack’s interception ended Victor Valley’s first drive near midfield. Barbee stopped the next drive with his first interception, and then it was Jalen Nelson’s turn on the next drive. Barbee’s second pic came late.
Meanwhile, the Wilson offense line was led by junior center Cole Smullen and plowed the road for multiple running backs. Jamell Edmond ran hard behind Weston and also scored a touchdown, as did Kori Scott. Wilson finished with 230 yards rushing.
“They all give their all no matter what,” Weston said of his offensive line. “Even when they make mistakes they just care too much (to give up).”
Wilson will visit Village Christian for the second round on Friday.
