Millikan’s big chance on Friday

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Unbeaten Long Beach Millikan is living it up, and deservedly so.

‘The kids are having a great time, the school is on fire about it, it’s just been exciting,’ Coach Kirk Diego said. ‘I’ve had people who have never said ‘Boo’ to me before asking how the team’s doing. It’s been fun.’

The Rams (5-0, 2-0) won’t be facing only suddenly raised expectations on Friday. They’ll also be facing Long Beach Poly (4-1, 1-0) in a key Moore League game at Millikan.

Poly, winner of 26 league titles since 1980 and a 16-time Southern Section champion, has won 68 consecutive Moore League games, a streak dating back to a 28-0 loss to Long Beach Jordan on Oct. 21, 1994.

So, despite Millikan’s success, Diego isn’t celebrating anything yet. Instead, he’s concerned about Poly’s size and athleticism.

‘Long Beach is a long city, and they make ‘em a lot bigger at the other end, than they do here,’ he said with a laugh. ‘We’re just so much smaller than everybody else in our league.’

And yet, the Rams sit in first place, at least for the moment.

‘The kids are excited,’ Diego said. ‘It’s been a fun experience. That’s the beauty of being around high school kids. They think they can win every game. When I was playing, that’s what I thought, too.’

Now, he just hopes, and prepares his team as best he can.

‘They have not ever heard the words win or lose from me,’ he said. ‘All we can do is prepare, work hard and do our best.’

So far, the Rams’ best has been pretty darn good.

- Lauren Peterson