Here are the Long Beach football games you need to circle on the calendar.
August 17
Wilson vs. Mayfair
The first football game on the new turf field at Wilson also will be one of the earliest played games in Long Beach football history. The CIF state office moved the schedule up to get both northern and southern California on the same calendar. That change could make this season opener even sloppier than usual because of less preseason practice time. This is the third consecutive season-opening meeting for these local teams. The Bruins won the first meeting on the road 35-6, and lost at home last year 37-7.
August 24
Poly vs. Narbonne at Veterans Memorial Stadium
This CIF intersectional matchup has given Poly some of its best nonleague wins over the last four years. The Jackrabbits won last year and in 2015 on late fourth-quarter touchdowns. However, the stain of the historic 56-0 loss at Narbonne in 2012 is still on this game. Poly went on to win the CIF Pac-5 championship later that year.
August 31
Lakewood vs. Mayfair
The Milk Bucket rivalry with Mayfair has been a barometer of sorts for Lakewood. When the Lancers were battling Poly for the top spot in the Moore League, they were dominating the Monsoons while winning eight straight meetings. After two years without seeing each other in the preseason, Mayfair beat Lakewood 21-18 last season for the first time since 2006.
September 7
St. Anthony at Wilson
The battle for Seventh Street returns for a fifth consecutive season as St. Anthony coach Mario Morales brings his team to the school where he was head coach with defensive coordinator, and current Wilson head coach, Mark Ziegenhagen. The Bruins and Saints have split their last four games against each other. The last two meetings have been decided by fumbles on the final drive.
Poly vs. Serra at Veterans Memorial Stadium
This is the only CIF-SS Division 1 regular-season opponent on the Poly schedule. The Jackrabbits battled the Cavaliers on the road in the regular season finale last year in a 24-20 loss. Serra saw a handful of NCAA Division I athletes graduate, but have another solid group of highly touted recruits in the defensive secondary.
September 14
Poly vs. Millikan at Veterans Memorial Stadium
This is the first night of Moore League play, and this game will go a long way in deciding the league champion. Poly beat Millikan 28-0 last season in the slimmest margin of league victory for the Jackrabbits. Ten years ago, the Rams beat Poly in a 35-34 overtime thriller. That’s the last time the Jackrabbits lost on the field in league play.
September 21
Poly at Wilson
It is rivalry week in the Moore League as the oldest rivalry in Long Beach comes back to Wilson for the first time since 2015. The Bruins and Jackrabbits have played at Veterans Memorial Stadium each of the last two years because of construction on the new field turf and track at Wilson. Poly has won this matchup 56-0 and 32-7 in the last two years after having to forfeit the league title to Wilson in 2015.
Millikan vs. Lakewood
These two schools share a blueprint and a fierce rivalry that has included notable post-whistle dust ups over the last three years. Millikan beat Lakewood 34-31 last season to take the Hamilton Trophy home for the first time since 2001.
October 5
Jordan at Cabrillo
The 710 Rivalry has gone back and fourth recently as Cabrillo and Jordan have each won two of the last four meetings. The Jaguars scored a season-high 46 points in a 30-point win over the Panthers last season.
October 12
Lakewood at Compton
Compton is celebrating Senior Night, and it hasn’t won the last home game of the regular season since 2014. The last time Compton beat Lakewood was a 24-23 regular season finale in 1997.
October 19
Wilson at Millikan
Last year, Millikan put up some impressive offensive numbers in a 46-20 win over Wilson on a Saturday afternoon at Vets. It was the second Rams win over the Bruins in the last five years.
October 26
Cabrillo at Lakewood
If the last few years are any indication, the last night of the regular season will be full of playoff implications, and could possibly involve another envelope draw tie-breaker. Cabrillo has beaten Lakewood each of the last two years, and has won three of the last five meetings.
