Previews of the top high school football games in Week 5.
FRIDAY GAMES
Moore League
Long Beach Poly (1-3) vs. Millikan (2-3) at Veterans Stadium, 7 p.m.
If there’s going to be a showdown for the Moore League title, then this is it, a fight between the two teams clearly ahead of the pack. Long Beach Poly has dominated the series and hasn’t really been challenged in league play in more than a decade, and a fierce nonleague slate has the Jackrabbits primed to break out now that the games count.
Poly has talent on both sides of the ball, and its run/pass balance — behind QB Shea Kuykendall, RB Devin Samples and a strong group of receivers — will bother Moore League foes. The Rams, too, are dynamic, perhaps enough so to issue a real challenge, but they’ll need better consistency in their offense, led by sophomore QB Myles Jackson, against a Jackrabbits defense led by Donovan “Poe” Yandall, who has four sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Lakewood (1-3) at Jordan (2-3), 7 p.m.
This one could determine the Moore League’s third guaranteed playoff berth, although Compton is in that discussion, too. Lakewood got its first win last week, dominating Cabrillo 67-0. Jordan, with its best team in several years, looks to rebound after successive losses, including last week’s 42-0 shutout by Millikan.
Lancers coach Justin Utupo said he calls this “a playoff game.”
Lakewood can run the ball (behind Zane Smith, Auggie Lyons and QB Brayden Downen) and has a fast defense led by LBs Travis Perryman and Rocky Tautai. Jordan has a big-time playmaker in Damian Henderson — “a special player,” Utupo said — but defenses are keying on him, and Panthers coach Tim Wedlow wants to lean more on Jeremy McGurn and Elijah Jones.
Cabrillo (1-4) at Wilson (0-4), 7 p.m.
First-year Jaguars coach Shane Gonzales has what Scott Meyer, in his first season as Wilson’s coach, most wants: a victory. Both teams are exceedingly young, in rebuilding mode, but veteran QB Zander McLaurin’s quick recovery from leg injuries suffered two weeks ago is a boon for the Bruins. Cabrillo needs to show a lot more than it did last week in a 67-0 loss to Lakewood.
Nonleague
St. Anthony (2-3) vs. Marina (1-4) at Westminster HS, 7 p.m.
Marina coach Jeff Turley was Raul Lara’s defensive coordinator for 13 years at Poly, so consider this one a family reunion. The Saints have shown great improvement nearly every week — the Millikan loss in their third game is the exception — and are coming off successive victories over Wilson and St. Pius X-St. Matthias, the latter fueled by Sone Aupiu’s 400-yard game, 356 of those on the ground.
Turley guided the Vikings to the CIF Southern Section Division 11 title two years ago and won the Big 4 League championship in a 5-1 spring campaign, but those were special teams, far beyond this one, which has conceded 43, 44 and 45 points in three of its defeats. They’re bigger than St. Anthony, which concerns Lara, as does familiarity. “Turley knows what I like to run,” Lara said, “and I know what Turley likes to run.”
Norwalk (4-1) at El Rancho (5-0), 7 p.m.
The rolling Lancers face their biggest test yet against an El Rancho team that averages 42 points per game and has shut out four foes while amassing more than 1,800 yards, 1,005 via the arm of Elijah Mitchell. Norwalk relies on a double-wing attack behind David Herrera (756 yards, 13 TDs) and Jonathan Goodloe (733, 7 TDs), both at well more than 10 yards per carry.
Paramount (0-3) at Venice (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Pirates haven’t played in two weeks as their bye followed a COVID-19 cancellation. Venice is in a similar situation. That makes this a good warm-up for the Pirates, who start San Gabriel Valley League play next week. They could use some success after being outscored 148-14 in losses to two extraordinary programs (Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos) and one very good team (Mira Costa). Those numbers obscure some decent work defensively, and Paramount has seen good work from three seniors — LB/FB Carlos Rodriguez, OL/DL Roger Holmes and Elijah Porras, who has stepped in at QB.
