The562’s coverage of football in 2024-25 is sponsored by The Terry Donahue Memorial California Showcase.
Dreams became realities on Wednesday afternoon at Millikan High, where a half dozen football players made their college decisions public on National Signing Day.
The Class of 2025 is far from finished at Millikan, but the early signing period saw many of the team’s top players heading off to college.
Star running back and Moore League Player of the Year Anthony League made his pledge to Cal official, with OL Maki Stewart signing with Arizona State, QB JP Mialovski signing with San Diego State, LB Sirr Bible heading to San Jose State, DB Joshua Tuchek going to UNLV and OL Branden Meza signing with Weber State.
“Today these guys are going to do something that better themselves and their families and give themselves an opportunity that a lot of kids wish they could have,” said Millikan head coach Romeo Pellum to an assembled crowd of parents, students, coaches, and media on hand. “That’s what it’s about, that’s what we’re about here at Millikan and that’s what I’m about.”
League was introduced as “Mr. Do It All” by Pellum as he took the podium to address the crowd. His senior year was one for the record books as he gained the most single-season rushing yards in Millikan history (1,546) and he racked up 26 total TDs. Also a standout at linebacker, he’ll focus on playing running back at the next level and hopes to be able to contribute as a freshman with the Golden Bears.
“This set in stone my dream coming true,” said League of what it felt like to sign his National Letter of Intent. “My goal to make it to D1 on a full scholarship so my parents don’t have to pay a dime, it was an honor. I almost shed a tear because this is all I’ve ever wanted. To play at the next level and have my parents at my side guiding me to make it there, it makes me emotional every day.”
Stewart was the left tackle on a dominant Millikan offensive line that featured several college-bound athletes. Standing 6-foot-6 and over 325 lbs., it’s no wonder Arizona State was interested, and he’ll be joining the program as an early enrollee in January, joining up with the possible Big 12 champions hoping to have a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
“It’s so surreal,” said Stewart of officially becoming a Sun Devil. “At first I was numb to it, because nothing really happens at first, I was just committed, but now signing I know I’m going there, I’m going next month. So now I’ve just got to get ready … I can’t wait to get there and help them win championships. I just want to be an asset to them any way they want to use me.”
After two productive seasons as the Millikan signal-caller, Mialovski signed on with San Diego State, the only signee to remain in Southern California. The Moore League’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year said his connection with SDSU’s staff was a big reason he wanted to be an Aztec.
“The coaching staff and the relationship I built with them,” Mialovski said. “Coach Lewis, it was his first year as head coach this year and he really had that conference in me to be able to go in there and maybe even play as a freshman or get some playing time, and after the way things went this year, I’m excited to go in there and compete and be able to show them what I can do.”
Linebacker Sirr Bible is headed to San Jose State, becoming the third Millikan defender in the last two seasons to join the Spartans. He’ll team up with Matt Robinson and Greg McClendon III in San Jose, and Bible was emotional while reflecting on his football journey while saying it felt like a family with SJSU.
“I just feel truly, truly blessed. I worked so hard,” said Bible. “Me and my mom, my dad, we all had a plan, and we executed that plan. It was hard to do, but we eventually got there and made it happen. Waking up at 6 a.m. to go to practice, that’s the stuff I love. If that’s what it takes, I’m gonna do it.”
No player showed more emotion during his speech than DB Joshua Tuchek, who signed with UNLV after he had been committed to Arizona for much of his senior year. He also spoke to the relationship he maintained with UNLV’s coaches and is excited to join a program he feels is headed in the right direction.
“It means everything,” said Tuchek of signing his scholarship agreement. “The process has been so long and so many times in the recruiting process I questioned if I’d ever go D1 or get a full ride scholarship. And I just stayed down while I come up and then walking in and seeing all the guys with their signs and we’re all going to college for free, it’s a blessing and man… I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
Meza thanked his family, teammates, and coaches as he announced his signing with Weber State. He was another key cog in the Millikan offense on the offensive line, and there should be a couple more linemen off this year’s team signing scholarships in February.
The Rams had Wednesday’s biggest Signing Day celebration in the Long Beach area, but Pellum made sure to inform the crowd that many more players would follow in a couple months. He expects this year’s class to grow to around 17 players, which would be the largest class Millikan has produced over his six years as head coach, and surely the biggest in program history as well.
“Today we’ll have six guys sign, and they’ll join the 21 players that we’ve had sign in the last five years,” Pellum said of the numbers his program has sent to the next level. “This will make 27 as of now, and we anticipate 11 more to sign in February for National Signing Day. That’ll put us at 38 kids going to college in six years, and that’s what it’s about.”
