Previews and predictions for the top high school football games in the area Friday.
Long Beach Poly quarterback Legend Galeai (10) races past Millikan’s Dominic Palma (40) and Elijah Espinoza (15) in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
FRIDAY’S TOP GAMES
Long Beach Wilson (6-1, 3-0) vs. Long Beach Poly (3-4, 3-0) at Veterans Stadium, 7 p.m.: All indicators show that this is the new de facto Moore League title game. Both teams are undefeated in league and have already taken down Millikan, last season’s champion. After this week’s game, both teams will be the favorite in their final two league games.
However, Wilson has not defeated Poly in football since 1991. Poly is coming off a 24-22 victory over Millikan but forfeited the team’s only nonleague win over Tustin this week due to playing an eligible player.
Against the Rams, the Jackrabbits were led by senior quarterback Legend Galeai, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound athlete who filled in admirably after playing the last two seasons on the defensive line. Galeai will start again this week according to Poly coach Justin Utupo.
Wilson’s Mack Cooper (15) throws under pressure from Millikan’s Peyton McCutcheon during game at Millikan High School on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (Photo by Scott Smeltzer/Contributing Photographer)
Wilson is coming off a 42-0 victory over Cabrillo. The Bruins are led by senior quarterback Mack Cooper, who has completed 73 of 125 passes (58.4%) for 1,445 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions. Senior running back Kori Scott has 758 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 95 carries. Senior receiver Thomas Jones has a team-high 28 receptions for 657 yards and nine touchdowns.
The last time Wilson came into the Poly game undefeated in league play it lost to the Jackrabbits 42-24 and finished second in league. Wilson has the more impressive victory this season against Millikan (30-7 on Sept. 26) but also the closest margin of victory against Compton (23-21 on Oct. 3).
Wilson also has a first-year head coach, Raudric Curtis, who embraces “game theory”.
Poly’s wild card in this matchup is the team’s sophomore running backs Elijah Dawson and Steven Hunter, who are coming off the best games of their young careers. Dawson and Hunter combined for 165 rushing yards and one touchdown on 27 carries against Millikan. If either of those running backs can help Poly eclipse 200 yards rushing, the Jackrabbits should chew up enough clock to grind down Wilson and win the game.
The pick: Long Beach Poly
St. John Bosco (7-0, 2-0) vs. Santa Margarita (5-2, 2-0) at Trabuco Hills HS, 7 p.m.: It is a new day in the Trinity League when a matchup between St. John Bosco and Santa Margarita determines sole possession of first place in the league standings. After Santa Margarita’s 7-6 victory over Mater Dei last week, that is what is at stake in this week’s game.
St. John Bosco scored 48 points in a shutout against Orange Lutheran last week. Santa Margarita gave up only six points to Mater Dei. Both teams have stellar defenses. However, the Braves’ high-scoring offense, which is led by sophomore quarterback Koa Malau’ulu, averages 46.7 points. The team’s defense is giving up only 8.8 points.
Santa Margarita wide receiver Trent Mosley (4) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against St. John Bosco during the second half of a CIF-SS Division 1 quarter-final playoff football game at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif. on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. St. John Bosco won 31-29. (Photo by Raul Romero Jr., Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s offense averages 21.2 points and the Eagles give up more than 12.5 points. Eagles senior receiver Trent Mosley, who is committed to USC, is back and had eight receptions for 56 yards and scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard run last week.
Bosco has at least four future Division I receivers in seniors Madden Williams (Texas A&M commit), Daniel Odom (Oklahoma commit), Carson Clark (San Jose State commit) and sophomore DJ Tubbs, who has 12 offers from schools like Oregon, UCLA and Washington.
If Malau’ulu continues to get the ball to his playmakers, the Braves should outlast and possibly pull away for a victory against Santa Margarita.
The pick: St. John Bosco
Millikan’s Landon Ross (1) tries to break free from Long Beach Poly’s Steven Hunter (21) and in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Lakewood (5-3, 3-1) at Millikan (2-6, 2-2), 7 p.m.: This is a Moore League rivalry game with playoff implications. Lakewood is in third place in the league standings and is coming off a 33-2 victory over Jordan. Millikan is in fourth place and is coming off a 24-22 loss to Poly. The winner of the game will receive the Hamilton Trophy and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for the league’s third and final automatic postseason spot.
The automatic playoff berth is particularly important for Millikan, which had to forfeit two nonleague wins due to playing an ineligible player.
Lakewood senior dual-threat quarterback Kade Casillas (Wayne State commit) has 20 total touchdowns (13 passing, seven rushing). Senior defensive back Tiwan Jones has four interceptions. Casillas and Jones will need steady performances for the Lancers to be successful against Millikan.
Millikan is led by freshman quarterback Jonah Tuaniga, but the Rams’ best players on offense this season have been senior receivers Jude Nelson, who is committed to Colorado State as a tight end, and Landon Ross. This is a must-win for Rams and the homecoming crowd should be enough to carry them to victory.
The pick: Millikan
Norwalk (7-0, 2-0) at Gahr (4-3, 2-0), 7 p.m.: This is a Mid-Cities League showdown for first place. Norwalk is coming off a 70-0 win over Compton Early College. Lancers senior running backs Diego Cerritos and Daron Walker combined for 361 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. Norwalk’s success against Gahr will depend on the effectiveness of its running game. The Lancers average 343 rushing yards per game.
Gahr is coming off a 16-6 victory over Lynwood. The Gladiators’ defense, which will be tasked with stopping the run, is led by senior defensive lineman Marc Saldana. Saldana had 10 tackles, two sacks and one interception against Lynwood.
Norwalk won last season’s game 43-35. It has two running backs who have already amassed 1,000 yards through seven games. If Cerritos and Walker have another big game, the Lancers should be able to outlast the Gladiators and seize control of the Mid-Cities League title race.
The pick: Norwalk
FRIDAY’S OTHER GAMES
Angelus League
St. Pius X-St. Matthias (3-4, 1-1) at St. Paul (1-6, 1-1)
Del Rey League
La Salle (2-5, 1-1) at St. Anthony (1-6, 1-1)
Ironwood League
Village Christian (4-3, 2-0) at Valley Christian (4-3, 1-1)
Gateway League
Dominguez (6-1, 1-1) at La Mirada (2-5, 0-2)
Downey (6-1, 2-0) at Paramount (3-4, 0-2)
Warren (2-5, 2-0) vs. Mayfair (1-6, 1-1) at Bellflower High
Mid-Cities League
Bellflower (5-2, 1-1) at Compton Early College (2-5, 1-1)
Lynwood (2-5, 0-2) at Firebaugh (1-6, 0-2)
Metro League
Locke (4-4, 1-0) at Rancho Dominguez (0-7, 0-1), 7 p.m.
Moore League
Jordan (1-6, 0-3) at Compton (3-4, 1-2), 6 p.m.
Ocean League
Centennial (3-4, 1-0) at El Segundo (6-1, 2-0)
Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 12:54 PM PDT