2024 Preps football preview: Millennium

By Richard Smith
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As was the case at this time a year ago, Millennium football lost most of its starters io graduation, then saw its expected top rusher leave the team in August.

Unlike in 2023, when the entire offensive line returned and a large crop of experienced seniors who had been reserves was ready to prove themselves, the Tigers are mostly relying on varsity newcomers this season. And their core four will lead the way.

Senior quarterback Donovan DeLong, junior wide receiver Trey Peck, senior safety Cayden Brown and senior safety Isaiah Salinas are the only returnees who started last year, and even DeLong only started after a late-season injury to Titus Johnson.

“Since we’ve been here, that’s the one thing we stick our chest out about. We keep our kids and mold them the way we want them. We build athletes,” coach Lamar Early said. “We don’t bank on anybody coming in. I trust my coaching staff to do what they do. They do a great job.”

Now in his eighth season, Early credited his staff at the lower levels for putting young players in different situations to help with their experience for Friday nights and showing them that Friday nights will be a different speed. But it’s inevitable, the coach said, some of these ‘babies’ will face veteran players that are bigger, faster and stronger than them.

A big sophomore class of about 65 players should provide several new starters.

“We’re really excited. They’re young but they’re full of potential,” Early said.

The defense will have a completely new front seven. Brown and Salinas like what they’ve seen in front of them this spring and summer.

Both Brown and Early mentioned linebacker/running back D’Mari Bryant as a likely breakout player. Sophomore defensive end Seamus Pezzelle impressed the coach with his improvement and his willingness to speak up.

“We’re preparing them in practice and getting them used to game speed, since it’s not like JV. They’ve been getting better at it,” Brown said.

Peck also will start at defensive back, which should be the best position group on the team. He led Millennium with 32 catches for 486 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore.

The junior will be one of the fastest players on any field after posting a 10.81 in the 100 meters during track season. This offseason, he showed the staff he can be more than a burner on deep routes.

“I was very proud of him and very pleased with him for how he improved in the weight room,” Early said.

Sophomore receiver Kadin Johnson worked his way to a handful of varsity snaps and is the most promising of a new crew around Peck.

“Last year we had a couple up to varsity and make some plays. They looked good in spring ball,” Salinas said.

Starting the final two games of the 2023 season and both playoff games would appear to give DeLong the quarterback gig. Not so fast.

“They know the numbers as far as experience. The biggest thing we talk about is competing daily. There’s no starters right now. We told them they’re all competing for a job,” Early said.

He said three quarterbacks have a shot at starting, as of early August.

Senior Hayden Potter is battling DeLong along with junior Rayden Reibel, who moved in from Walla Walla, Wash. and is also listed as a safety.

There is a good chance that Reibel or DeLong, who played at receiver last year and is the Tigers leading returning rusher with 317 yards, will start somewhere else if not at quarterback.

Four seniors who weighed 260 pounds or more are now playing in small college offensive lines across the country, and the fifth, Landon Levandowski, is a long snapper at Simpson University.

This line will be smaller and less experienced. Early said junior guard Zach Phillipps and junior center Kaden Yellen had good summers.

Running back Tayejion Player rotated in last year, gaining 573 yards and five touchdowns. Early said he left the team in early August.

Bryant should factor in. Other than him, the program is trusting its development.

“Our coaching with the main guys there, added to our football program,” Peck said.

Millennium’s schedule is almost identical, but instead of 6A team Gilbert Perry, the Tigers are traveling to Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep for a Thursday night game Sept. 12.

Following what should be a routine opener at Westview, two fellow 5A quarterfinal teams — Gilbert Campo Verde and Notre Dame Prep — will test the readiness of the young Tigers.

The final non-region game is a Sept. 27 trip to Phoenix Horizon. Last year, the Huskies made the 5A semifinals.

After two straight quarterfinal berths, that is where Millennium wants to go.

“Since last year, the same thing happened and we had a whole new staff,” DeLong said. “We talked about making it to the third round, instead of being stuck in the second round,” DeLong said.

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.