The Moore League lacrosse season came to a thrilling conclusion last year as Wilson and Long Beach Poly split their contests as the two ended the league campaign as co-champions.
Both teams enter the season eager to win another title and at Wilson the Bruins enter the season carrying both momentum and transition.
The Bruins begin this Spring under new leadership as Erick Bear took over as head coach. It is Bear’s first year at the helm at Wilson and while the expectations around the program remain unchanged, his approach reflects a measured, detail-oriented philosophy shaped by his own playing and coaching background.
Bear, a Mayfair High graduate from the class of 2011, previously played at the college level, an experience that has influenced how he views the high school game.
“It actually gives me more peace of mind working at the high school level,” Bear said. “There’s more support from administration, more protection for coaches, and honestly better resources than what I had in college.”
That institutional support has been immediately noticeable. Wilson’s access to equipment and infrastructure has allowed Bear to focus squarely on development rather than logistics.
Offensively, Wilson appears well-positioned to remain one of the league’s most productive teams.
“I can definitely say we have a high-powered offense,” Bear said.
The greater emphasis early in the season has been on improving the defensive end and integrating a large group of underclassmen. At times, freshmen have outnumbered seniors at practice.
“Just because you show up doesn’t mean you get better,” Bear said. “They need reps, but the varsity guys also need reps to be ready now. That’s the constant balance.”
Leadership will come from a senior-only captain group, a policy Bear believes promotes fairness and accountability. Senior attackman Ivan Van Divort serves as the offensive captain, while senior goalie Ryan Bruce anchors the defense. Junior midfielder Caden Wright is expected to be a key piece as well. “My two captains and Caden are college ready,” Bear said. “They could probably be starting at UC Santa Cruz right now. That’s how advanced they are in terms of athleticism and feel for the game.”
Wilson opens the Moore League season at Lakewood today as they look to win another title. Bear knows the margin for error will be slim with a tough league.
“Any one bad game can ruin that dream,” Bear said.
While an outright league title is a goal, Bear has a longer view.
“My main priority is how far can we push the playoffs,” he said.
After losing 18 seniors to graduation last year, Long Beach Poly is entering a rebuilding phase, but coach John Gabriel remains optimistic about the team’s potential.
“It’s looking all right,” Gabriel said. “It’s definitely going to be a rebuild year for us. We graduated 18 seniors, so we’ve got a lot of young guys, but I think we’ll be pretty competitive this year.”
The Jackrabbits will rely heavily on a core group of returning players to provide leadership and stability. Senior captain Rayjen Rodriguez has been a key contributor over the last two seasons and is expected to lead the charge once again.
“He’s always been a key contributor for us the last, I’d say, definitely the last two years,” Gabriel said.
Joining Rodriguez as a senior leader is defender Alexander Lucillo, also a captain, who brings experience and toughness to the backline.
Gabriel highlighted two other seniors who are expected to play pivotal roles this season. Midfielder Christ Walker and attacker Cristobal Garcia round out the team’s veteran presence.
After last year’s season, which included a challenging playoff run where Long Beach Poly faced Compton in the first round and narrowly fell to University, the team is eager to build on its experience.
“That was really cool,” Gabriel said of last season’s competition. “It would have been nice to play some newer competition in the CIF first round, but it shows a little bit higher level of play coming out of the Moore League these last couple years. Compton is a great team and University has a more historically competitive program. For us to go down there, even battling some injuries, and compete like we did, I’m super proud.”
With a smaller roster than in previous years, Gabriel said the team’s approach will emphasize hard work, fitness, and a blue-collar mentality.
“With this team, it’s kind of a little bit smaller roster than we’re used to,” he said. “We’re just looking for a blue-collar mindset—hard work and fitness. That’s the philosophy we’re talking about with the experience we’ve had, like last year.”
Poly will focus on leveraging their veteran leadership while developing their younger players, hoping that the combination of grit, determination and disciplined lacrosse will make them competitive throughout the Moore League.
“We’ve got some key guys leading the way, and the rest of the team is buying in,” Gabriel said. “It’s going to be a fun group to watch this year.”
After finishing third in the Moore League last season, the Millikan enters the new year with higher expectations, increased depth, and a more balanced roster on both ends of the field.
Coach Jared Weckerly believes this year’s squad has taken a significant step forward from a season ago.
“This team is a lot better than it was last year,” Weckerly said. “We were playing a lot of young guys last year, and we really relied on one player offensively.”
That player was Jude Moore, who carried much of the offensive load in 2025. While Moore’s presence was impactful, Weckerly noted the lack of surrounding depth last season.
“Last year we had a lot of C-plus players around Jude Moore, who was an A-plus player,” he said. “Now we have a bunch of B-plus players, maybe low A-minus players. We’re way more well-rounded.”
That balance starts on offense, where senior Cam Whitcomb is expected to lead the attack. Joining him is senior midfielder Garrett Bruehl, along with Dylan Baylis, a three-year starter Weckerly says is poised for a breakout season.
“Dylan’s finally put everything together,” Weckerly said. “He’s been working really hard on his craft, and I think this is the year it all clicks.”
Defensively, Millikan will lean on athleticism and youth, anchored by junior goalkeeper Colin Davis, who returns for his second year as a starter.
“Colin was really good last year, and he’s going to be great this year,” Weckerly said.
Senior Andrew Salazar will captain the defense, leading a unit filled with emerging talent and physical presence.
“We’re super young defensively, but there are a lot of athletes and a couple big guys I’m excited about,” Weckerly added.
As for the Moore League race, Weckerly expects competition but believes Millikan remains the standard.
“I think Downey has put together a really good program,” Weckely said. “But I’m hoping it’s just us at the top.”
One of the program’s biggest strengths continues to be participation and roster growth, fueled by multi-sport athletes finding opportunity in lacrosse.
“We’re having fun, and I’m a recruiter,” Weckerly said. “A lot of our starters are basketball, soccer, or football kids who weren’t seeing the field elsewhere.”
That approach has paid dividends beyond high school.
“Every single one of my seniors last year had an opportunity to play at the second level,” Weckerly said.
As Compton enters its fourth official season, the program is no longer focused on simply establishing itself. The expectations have risen, and according to coach Keith Parkman, that shift is intentional.
“This is our fourth year as a program,” Parkman said. “The guys we started the program with as freshmen are now seniors, and we’re super thrilled for that.”
Those seniors have helped turn Compton into a consistent playoff contender. The Tarbabes have already made two postseason appearances in their short history, including a fourth-place Moore League finish last year. Now, with a veteran core leading the way, the goal is clear.
“The standard we’ve set for our program is making the playoffs every year,” Parkman said. “But now, with this group being seniors, our goal is to win the Moore League.”
Compton’s leadership starts with Victor Garcia, a two-time team captain and one of the most versatile players in the league. Garcia has lined up everywhere from long-stick midfielder to offense and defense, embodying the do-everything mentality Parkman values.
“He’s played LSM for us, picked up a short stick, played offense and defense,” Parkman said. “He’s the guy we’re really looking forward to.”
Another cornerstone of the program is Noe Perez, a familiar name around the Moore League. Perez has been part of Compton lacrosse since day one and continues to provide stability and experience.
“He’s a well-known figure in the Moore League,” Parkman said. “Those two guys especially have been in the program since day one.”
Defensively, senior Omar Gomez is expected to anchor the unit, while Sonny Ramirez returns in goal after taking over the starting role last season.
“Last year he took over the reins of that goalie spot and he was just dominant from there on,” Parkman said.
Parkman also expects Jamie Flores, another senior leader whose versatility has been invaluable to make an impact.
“He’s played, I think, every position but goalie for us,” Parkman said. “He’s another guy you can’t leave out.”
While the senior class sets the tone, Compton’s growth is evident in its underclassmen. The Tarbabes are sophomore-heavy, something Parkman sees as a sign of long-term sustainability.
“I think we have more sophomores than we do seniors,” he said. “That’s a testament to the growth of our program.”
Among those younger players are close defenders Andrew Love and Justin Borunva, along with multi-sport athlete Raishawn McDaniel, who is expected to take on a larger offensive role this season.
Compton has also benefited from athletes transitioning from soccer, adding speed and field awareness to the roster.
Looking ahead, Parkman knows the Moore League will once again be unpredictable.
“That’s the awesome thing about our league — you just never know what to expect,” he said. “Everyone knows each other’s styles, and coaching plays a huge role. That’s what makes it fun to compete.”
Lakewood enters the season focused on finishing what it started and doing so alongside a coach who has helped shape the program since its early days.
Like the girls’ team, this season marks Fernando Viramontes’ final year coaching lacrosse, closing out a four-year run defined by growth, toughness, and belief.
“Hopefully I left the program in a better spot than I found it,” Viramontes said.
The Lancers return a strong core of players who have been together for multiple seasons, a continuity Viramontes believes will pay dividends.
“It’s a group that’s been together for the last two to three years,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how we kind of go out together.”
Last season’s 4–8 record doesn’t fully tell the story. Lakewood picked up key wins, including a breakthrough victory over Downey and several close contests against Wilson.
“We had some big wins last year,” Viramontes said. “Now, with the experience we have, I think we’re ready to take that next step.”
Adding to that experience is a physical edge, as Viramontes brought over six players from the football program to bolster defensive toughness.
“I think that will give us a defensive toughness,” he said.
Among the players expected to lead the charge are Jordan Correa, a midfielder and former football player entering his third year in lacrosse.
“He’s just a special player when the ball’s in his stick,” Viramontes said.
Joining him is Asher Wilder, another former football player who quickly found his place on the lacrosse field.
“He picked up a stick and never looked back,” Viramontes said. “He brings a gritty toughness to our team.”
Rounding out the leadership group is Ricky Ahumada, a longtime lacrosse player who competes year-round.
“He’s just all about lacrosse,” Viramontes said.
As the boys look to break through into playoff contention, the season carries extra meaning – not just for the players, but for the coach who helped establish the program.
“When I took this on, lacrosse was just getting started,” Viramontes said. “I’m thankful to our admin and our AD for believing in me from day one.”
