The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The562’s football coverage for the 2026-27 school year is sponsored by Long Beach Poly alums Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
Last season was a rare step back for the Millikan Rams. In the previous seven seasons under head coach Romeo Pellum, only twice have the Rams won fewer games than the year prior.
Millikan still found itself in the CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs, but didn’t make it out of the first round and lost three Moore League games for the first time since Pellum’s debut season in 2019.
His message going into the 2026 season is simple: “Never again.”
“It definitely lit a fire in me to where that’ll never happen again,” said Pellum. “That’s on me, but it’ll never happen. I have a chip on my shoulder now. The kids don’t want that, the coaches don’t want that, and I promise you that’ll never happen again.”
This year’s team is perhaps the youngest of the Pellum era, but that doesn’t mean the Rams are lacking in experience. For one, the Rams are the only team in the Moore League that returns its starting quarterback, as super-talented sophomore Jonah Tuaniga is back.
As a 9th grader, he shared time early in the season with senior Ashton Pannell, but this year the job is Tuaniga’s to run with, and he’s prepared for the challenge. Millikan also brought back former offensive coordinator Dave Pierson in the same role, and Pellum said it’s already made a huge difference for the offense.
Tuaniga is also a high-level volleyball player, receiving a recent invite to play for USA Volleyball’s U17 National Team at the Pan American Cup in Guatemala, where he won a bronze medal. He’s been back and forth between football practice and volleyball training and competition, but it’s a special opportunity he was grateful to be able to take on.
“It’s been a lot, but also a blessing being able to do both and do both at a high level,” said Tuaniga of playing both sports this summer. “Going from football to volleyball, back to football, it’s pretty hard … I think they both help each other out. Volleyball helps me a lot with how fast I am, like quick reactions. Football gets my endurance up a lot more. So I think it helps for both.”
His receiving corps is led by 6-5 senior Jay Williams, in his fourth year on varsity. He isn’t just a big target, he’s also a home run threat with his 4.5 40-yard dash time, making him a tough cover for any high school secondary. The Kansas commit has played behind quality receivers every season, and now gets to be “the guy” as a senior, with juniors Josiah Carter and St. Paul transfer Aden Taufa also lined up as starters.
Williams has seen improvement from his sophomore quarterback over the offseason, and he’s been working to build on the rapport they established in 2025.
“I think he’s improved so much from last year,” Williams said of Tuaniga. “At practice, we’ll tell each other stuff we see on the field going against the defense, and we kind of build chemistry like that … I’m always with him, catching passes for him even when it’s defensive time, so we get a lot of time together to build chemistry.”
Junior Ryan Carter leads a young stable of running backs after splitting the starting job as a sophomore last year. He’s a physical and explosive runner who should be set up for more success behind an improved offensive line.
The Rams have greatly improved their depth and size on the line of scrimmage, and have a good mix of experience and young talent. Andrew and Jesse Laumasima are both back and are expected to be impact guys wherever they line up. Add in a trio of returners from last year in seniors Jonathan Olmos, Chase Martin, and Ethan Franco, and there’s already the makings of a strong line, but incoming reinforcements will make things even more exciting for Rams fans.
St. Paul transfers Juju Lautua and Toloai Toloai are both listed at 6-foot-3 and over 265, and Redondo Union transfer Aaden Muasau looks like a terror at defensive end. Those three are juniors, and the arrival of sophomore St. John Bosco transfer Christian Herrera gives the Rams an exciting player to develop at defensive tackle following the sit-out period.
The topic of transfers has certainly been a narrative surrounding Millikan; the Rams were forced to forfeit two games last season due to an ineligible player and had several players ruled ineligible for the entire year. While there are once again key players who’ve transferred into the program this offseason, the total number is down from years past. Pellum says the Rams have eight total transfers this year and that the program is relying on homegrown talent more than ever.
“Our number has dropped by over 50 percent, and it just says a lot about the program and the direction we’re headed,” said Pellum on the topic of transfers, while acknowledging that he’s not concerned with outside perceptions of him or his program. “I really don’t know what people say. I’m sure people have their opinions about me, but I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me at all. I’m sure there’s other teams around here that have more transfers than us this year … It’s not my fault we attract kids. Track record attracts.”
Both cornerbacks are returning starters who could spend three consecutive years across the field from one another. Junior Odell Simms, Jr. has been starting since freshman year and is rated a three-star prospect in the 2028 class, with offers from nearly a dozen Division 1 programs.
On the other side is sophomore Khyon Wilson, who picked off Michigan signee Brady Smigiel in Millikan’s home opener last year and already has 10 D1 offers before taking his first snap as a 10th grader.
Senior Josh Miyake brings even more experience to the secondary as a four-year varsity contributor for the Rams, and he’s a big fan of the two dudes on the outside.
“I think our defense is actually looking great,” said Miyake. “Our expectations for the season are the same as last year, just dominate on defense … I tell (my teammates) everything will come with experience, and Khyon and Odell, I think they’re growing into great corners.”
Coach Pellum thinks he’ll have the best special teams unit of his entire tenure at Millikan, with punter Trace Lowrey back for his senior year. They’ve also got soccer player turned kicker Brody Gonzalez, who has range beyond 50 yards with his powerful left foot. The senior should also help the Rams limit return opportunities on kickoffs.
With so many sophomores and juniors in key roles, Millikan has a core in place for the next few seasons as they look to remain among the Moore League elite. Pellum said he’s pleased to see the program’s growth under his watch, to where he’s able to bring in and develop players for four years.
“I think that it’s a good thing that we’re young,” Pellum said. “We have very minimal seniors that we’ll lose that are true impact players. We have a few, but I think that we are in a good place where we have a lot of young talent that we built from the bottom up, and it’s finally coming to fruition.”
Millikan’s schedule is loaded with playoff programs, beginning with a tough home test on Thursday, Aug. 20 against Huntington Beach in the season opener. The Rams also have a pair of marquee contests heading into the postseason, hosting Long Beach Poly on Oct. 23 before traveling to play defending league champions Wilson on Oct. 30.
Projected Starting Lineup:
Offense
QB – Jonah Tuaniga (So.)
RB – Ryan Carter (Jr.) / Joshua White (So.) / Karter Vaitagutu (So.)
WR – Jay Williams (Sr.) / Aden Taufa (Jr.) / Josiah Carter (Jr.) / Josh Miyake (Sr.) / Darius Bennett (So.)
OL – Jonathan Olmos (Sr.) / Chase Martin (Sr.) / Ethan Franco (Sr.) / Andrew Laumasima (Sr.) / Juju Lautua (Jr.) / Aaden Muasau (Jr.) / Toloai Toloai (Jr.) / King Sauvao (So.)
K – Brody Gonzalez (Sr.)
Defense
DL – Jesse Laumasima (Sr.) / Toloai Toloai (Jr.) / Aaden Muasau (Jr.) / Christian Herrera (So.) / King Sauvao (So.) / Landon Clowes (Sr.)
LB – Soren Jensen (Jr.) / Matteo Palma (Sr.) / Josiah Williams (Jr.) / Ryan Carter (Jr.)
CB – Odell Simms, Jr. (Jr.) / Khyon Wilson (So,)
Nickel/S – Josh Miyake (Sr.) / Kylen Hart (Sr.) / Karter Vaitagutu (So.) / Josiah Carter (Jr.) / Easton Cook (Jr.)
P – Trace Lowrey (Sr.)
2026 Millikan Football Schedule
8/20 – vs. Huntington Beach
8/28 – at Loyola
9/4 – at Downey
9/11 – at Capistrano Valley
9/18 – BYE
9/25 – vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
10/2 – at Palos Verdes
10/9 – at Lakewood*
10/16 – vs. Jordan*
10/23 – vs. Long Beach Poly*
10/30 – at Wilson*
* – Denotes Moore League game
