Sloppy play and silly errors were tell-tale signs that this was indeed opening weekend, and the visiting Gahr Gladiators capitalized on enough Millikan mistakes to hold off the Rams, 33-30, on Friday night at Millikan High School.
Late in the third quarter Millikan took the lead, 30-27, for the first time. On the ensuing kickoff, a late hit penalty set Gahr up for what would be the game winning touchdown early in the fourth. Gladiators quarterback Corey Nielson found Aaron Bradley in the end zone for the duo’s third scoring connection.
The night started the same way. On their opening drive, Millikan failed to convert a third-and-long while being flagged for a penalty. Confusion on the Ram sideline followed, and they ended up running a play on fourth-and-long, when everyone thought it was still third-and-long. Gahr wasted no time, and on their first play from scrimmage, Nielson found Bradley on a screen pass that the receiver turned into a 33-yard touchdown.
Even though their mental lapses put them behind the 8-ball, Millikan fought hard all night, especially on defense. Nielson had four touchdown passes and 223 yards at halftime, only to be all but shut down in the second half, going 5-for-13 with two interceptions.
At one point in the first half, Millikan was down 20-6. However, the Rams stayed calm and turned to Jonathan Sanders to get them back in the game. The senior two-way starter finished with 135 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. His second score, a 24-yard scamper through traffic, brought the Rams within one. But Nielson answered quickly with a four minute, 68-yard touchdown drive capped by his touchdown pass to Shaanwell Johnson, who made a diving catch in the end zone as the first half came to a close with the score, 27-19.
On their first possession of the second half, Gahr marched down the field like they were ready to put the contest away. But on the Millikan 20, Sanders jumped a crossing route and intercepted Nielson’s pass to halt the drive. Nielson continued his second half woes when he got the ball back, and threw his second pick of the night. This time, Millikan capitalized when running back Silver Vaifanua scored, making it 27-27.
After Millikan forced Gahr to go three-and-out, they got all the way down to the Gahr 4-yard line on a long pass from Jake Holtz to Alden Darby. But the Rams had to settle for the field goal, and after the ill-timed late hit penalty, they never saw the lead again.
Holtz finished the night 16-28, with 199 yards and 2 TDs, while Nielson— who is on his way to Hawaii next year— went 20-33, with 302 yards, 5TDs, and 2 INTs.