After a long summer of hot practices, the Millard West football team is ready to kick off the season against Q Street rival, the Millard South Patriots. On Friday, Aug. 25, the two teams will face off at Buell Stadium to claim Q Street as their own, both teams come into the game looking for a week one win to start 1-0.
Millard South has won four out of the last five meetings between the two teams, and Millard West is looking to end that streak on Friday. Millard South won their last head-to-head matchup in 2022, 38-14.
“We lost a few seniors and leaders of our team from last year, but we have a lot of guys on the team that are stepping up,” senior Bobby Joseph said. “I am very ready for the regular season to start and to play against our Q Street Joseph is entering his fourth year of football at Millard West playing RB/WR, with this year being his second on varsity. He helped Millard West to a 6-3 record in the 2022 season, before ultimately losing to the Lincoln Southwest Silverhawks in the first round of the playoffs.
“This is my first year playing football, and it is much different than I expected, and much different than I am used to,” senior Luke Wu said. “I am excited for the season because our team has been working really hard in the weight room and also working really hard on the field and ready for all of it to pay off for the season.”
Millard West has had practices all summer that highlighted and worked on many different things. They had strength practices where they lifted in the weight room, as well as different skills practices to sharpen their abilities for the regular season. They have both early practices that start as early as 6 a.m., and later practices under the lights.
“We lost a few captains from our defense last year, which means some of us upperclassmen need to step up and be leaders for everyone,” senior Trey Mittelstedt said. “We also have a lot of key players returning to our defense that can help lead the new players. I am looking forward to seeing our new defense because we are looking good in practice.”
The Millard West football team has lost a lot of captains and leaders from last year’s team, with many stepping up and leading the team through practices and teaching the younger players what needs to be done. The Wildcats have also lost a few players to injury who hope to return for the regular season. All players are very eager for the regular season to commence, especially against long-time rival The Millard South Patriots, another Millard rival the Millard North Mustangs, and to hopefully beat the team who knocked them out of the playoffs last year, the Lincoln Southwest Silverhawks and many more teams.
