Undefeated and League Champs not enough for James No. 2 seed Inglewood begins evasive title run Nov. 8

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The Inglewood Sentinels football team shattered school records in almost every category on its way to a 10-0 regular season under the helm of first year head coach Mil’Von James.

However, if you listen carefully to James there’s a sense of unfinished business that lies ahead as the Sentinels begin quest of their first title on Nov. 8 at Caroline Coleman Stadium in the opening round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 13 playoffs against the Banning Broncos (5-5).

The Sentinels are the No. 2 seed in the division behind undefeated Alhambra (10-0), but James feels that his team has as good a chance as any.

“The division is wide open. Everybody has an opportunity to win the championship,” James explained to Inglewood Today.

He says that’s he’s not too familiar with the Broncos, but based on the film they are young and come to compete.

There were no wild celebrations for the Sentinels after blanking their final four opponents, capping the regular season with a 48-0 thrashing of Morningside in The City of Champions Classic on Nov. 1 at El Camino College.

“I congratulated the players on the season and being (Pioneer) league champions, but that was never our goal,” he added. “It’s win or go home now. Everybody is 0-0, and the details that you worked on during the regular season will have greater consequences now.”

Asked if he felt any special connection to this team that would compare to the great teams that he built at Hawkins High School in Los Angeles and James response was rather predictable.

“Player for player it’s like asking which one of your kids do you like more?”

There is a lot to like about this team that produced a record setting quarterback in Jared Heywood who completed 131 of 166 passes for 3,480 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Combine that to the 1,000 yard rushing attack of Timothy Williams who carried 64 Times for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the undeniably heart and soul of Inglewood High School, Monta Lemonious-Craig who caught 35 passes for 1,019 yards and 17 TDs and you can have the ingredients of a championship team.

Both Williams and Craig were equally dominant on the defensive side of the ball with 46 and 56 tackles apiece, respectively.

Junior defensive back Joseph Hill led the team in tackles with 73 and 50 of those were of the solo variety.

So, yes one can say that Inglewood has enjoyed a glorious season after going  from 0-10 in 2018 to 10-0 in 2019, but James will be the first to tell you that it doesn’t mean anything right now as they strive to do something really special—–win a CIF-SS championship!

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