L-R: Jake Caan, Amon Milliner and Myles Cecil By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor The monkey was lifted off La Salle’s back when it got its first Angelus League victory two weeks ago. They can make history again on Friday, if they’re able to win their first road game in league play. La Salle (6-3, 2-2) […]
L-R: Jake Caan, Amon Milliner and Myles Cecil
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
The monkey was lifted off La Salle’s back when it got its first Angelus League victory two weeks ago.
They can make history again on Friday, if they’re able to win their first road game in league play.
La Salle (6-3, 2-2) will likely make the playoffs even with a loss, but the Lancers want to head into the postseason on a 3-game win streak.
The Lancers are coming off back-to-back Angelus League victories to St. Paul, and Harvard-Westlake, respectively, after starting league 0-12 over the past three seasons.
Salesian has some key injuries, but they’re still playing everyone even, and are coming off a 42-35 overtime loss to St. Paul last week.
Salesian (5-4, 1-2) has the highest scoring offense in the Angelus.
The Mustangs have scored 135 points in four Angelus League games, but they’ve also surrendered 113, which is second worst. Only last place Harvard-Westlake was worse. .
“We are playing a tough team with a lot of gifted athletes,” La Salle coach Russell Gordon said. “We must limit big plays and take care of the football.”
La Salle just got AJ Akobian healthy and he’s scored touchdowns in the last two wins.
Akobian is able to give Lancers’ star running back Amon Milliner a few plays off, but is also a good decoy for Milliner as well.
Milliner is still the man. He has 1,881 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns.
Milliner is coming off a 343-yard performance last week with four TD runs, and he will likely break 2,000 yards Friday night.
It’s incredibly difficult to accurately explain how impressive 2,000 yards on the ground is.
The best way, I suppose, is to most high school running backs, 1,000 yards in a season is considered the gold standard.
One area La Salle would love to see improved is the production of popular quarterback Jake Caan.
It’s been about a month since Caan had a notable game and didn’t throw any picks.
But when Caan is sharp, he complements Milliner and vice versa.
Caan has six touchdown passes alone to senior wide receiver Harrison MacDonald.
As exciting a time it is to be a Lancer these days, it’s only going to get better as the postseason nears.
A tough preseason and Angelus League schedule will have La Salle more than ready for the CIF-SS Division 9 playoffs.
Most everyone they’ve played in and out of league are Division 4 or better, and they’ll be playing in the Division 9 bracket.
The defense sometimes goes unnoticed, but not by the La Salle coaching staff or players.
Defensive end Myles Cecil is a man among boys, linebacker Jake Rose has played consistently solid throughout, as has the entire Lancers defense.
Quotable:
Senior defensive end Myles Cecil: “I know for a fact that this game is a must-win to secure a spot in playoffs, so off the top, we have a ton riding on this game. Everyone on the entire team is ready and prepared to sell out for what we want, and that’s a (playoff) spot, but the defense has to continue to work hard and make sure we break down at the tackle and make sure we rally to the ball and not allow deep gashing passes or runs. The Mustangs are a very good team and have tons of athletic ability. In terms of what they do well, they play hard all game long and don’t seem to give in, even after facing loads of adversity. They lost their quarterback, I believe, and are still going out and being competitive. It says a lot about their team. I’m looking forward to the game, to say the least.”
Angelus League Standings:
Cathedral (9-0 overall, 4-0 in league)
St. Francis (8-1, 3-1)
La Salle (6-3, 2-2)
St. Paul (4-5, 2-2)
Salesian (5-4, 1-3)
Harvard-Westlake (3-6, 0-4)
Friday’s Angelus League Schedule:
St. Francis at St. Paul
La Salle at Salesian
Harvard-Westlake at Cathedral
