This week, all of The562’s coverage is sponsored by Long Beach Gives. Visit LongBeachGives.org to find your cause and support local nonprofits! Donations will be accepted through Sept. 21.
The562’s coverage of football in 2023-24 is sponsored in part by the MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center Foundation and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Foundation
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The Millikan Rams sent a message to the rest of the Moore League, and to themselves, with a 79-20 win against visiting Wilson on Friday night.
“I think we set a tone as a team going forward and we’re going to use this momentum to keep winning,” Millikan’s Loyall Mouzon said.
Millikan scored early and often while Mouzon had three touchdown catches of 11, 85 and 93 yards. Rams quarterback JP Mialovski went 19-for-30 with 391 yards passing and six touchdowns. He also completed passes to seven different receivers with star Ryan Pellum sitting the game out.
“Taking that loss (to Upland) last week was tough for us,” Mialovski said. “We have to go all gas and no brakes no matter who we’re playing. We have to put up as many points as we can.”
The Rams certainly kept their foot on the gas pedal until the running-clock fourth quarter. Coach Romeo Pellum called consecutive onside kicks after the first two Millikan touchdowns of the game, and they recovered both.
“It wasn’t about them (Wilson), it was more so about us,” coach Pellum said. “Last week (against Upland) showed us what we need to work on and do what we need to do for us. We just wanted to execute.”
As it pertains to the onside kicks, Pellum added, “I’m not going to kick you the ball. It’s still high school sports and the chances of them returning it are really high. We wanted to steal a couple possessions because they came out running the ball and we’ve had trouble stopping the run. We wanted to make sure that if we had an opportunity to get ahead we got ahead.”
That happened on the first Rams’ drive of the game as Mialovski found Mouzon in the back corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. After the first successful onside kick, it only took three plays for Millikan to score again as Mialovski hit Jude Nelson over the middle for a 6-yard score less than four minutes into the game.
“I think I’m getting a good hold of the offense and I’ve got dogs out there who will go catch the ball for me,” Mialovski said.
Mialovski had touchdown passes to Mouzon, Nelson, Charlie Broughton and Matt Robinson.
Wilson fed running back Leighton Scott all night, and the senior transfer racked up 204 yards on 18 carries while scoring three touchdowns. His 95-yard touchdown run in the second quarter cut the Millikan lead to 30-7, but Millikan’s Kyle Parker responded with a 93-yard return for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff.
Millikan took advantage of Wilson miscues to score three more times in the second quarter and take a 58-7 lead into halftime.
Mouzon started the second half with a 93-yard catch and run for his third score.
“He’s a legit baller on both sides of the ball,” Pellum said. “He’s a guy you have to game plan for because if you don’t you’re in trouble.”
The Rams seemed to have a lot more positive energy on the sideline throughout the game, and Mouzon thinks that’s not a coincidence considering the massive “Millikan Mob” student section that turned up for the Moore League opener.
“That just happens when you’ve got a fired up crowd with a lot of supporters,” Mouzon said. “We have to put on for them. We don’t just play for us, we play for everyone at Millikan.”
Next week, Millikan (3-2, 1-0) visits Jordan on Friday for a key league clash while Wilson (1-3, 0-1) returns home to host Compton.
