Millikan
Millikan Volleyball

Boys’ Volleyball Preview: Millikan Rams

Millikan hasn’t won a Moore League championship since 2006, but the Rams are a program on the rise right now under coach Matt Johnson, who has them in the conversation for this year’s championship.

Johnson said it’s a goal to win the league this year, but pointed out that under the CIF Southern Section’s competitive equity playoff format, the Rams are now in Division 3, where they could compete for some postseason hardware as well.

“We’re setting high hopes,” said Johnson.

The Rams are hosting their inaugural Millikan Volleyball Tournament in mid-March, as well.

On the court, senior Matt McCarthy is likely to be a major factor, returning from a junior campaign that saw him lead the Moore League in blocks. Outside hitters Spencer Spalding, Nick Wilson, and Aaron Gutierrez will help provide the firepower, with Andrew Elizarraraz returning at libero.

The Rams will run a 6-2 this year with Noah Rounds and Kyle Paulson setting. Paulson is a 6’5” volleyball convert who came to Millikan as a soccer player but led the Rams to a JV championship last year.

“We’re all excited about what a difference that will make,” said Johnson.

Long Beach High School Boys’ Volleyball Preview

Mike Guardabascio
An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. He's won numerous awards for his writing as well as the CIF Southern Section’s Champion For Character Award, and is the author of three books about Long Beach history.
http://The562.org