The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
It was a classic Moore League flag football matchup at DeHaven Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, and a close one for about three-fourths of the game. Compton started quickly and gave Millikan a run for their money, but couldn’t hang on as Rams caught fire in the second half en route to a 24-12 win.
Millikan (4-4, 1-1) surrendered a touchdown on Compton’s (7-2, 0-2) opening drive and trailed for the entirety of the first half. The Rams didn’t take their first lead until midway through the third quarter, before closing the game with 18 unanswered points.
“It was really just on us,” said Millikan coach Romeo Pellum of the slow start. “We didn’t make plays when we needed to, we didn’t pull flags, and we dropped some passes. We knew we could take care of business and we just needed to figure out a way to fix our mistakes and we did that.”
Millikan’s passing game was key in shifting the momentum in the second half. Quarterback Holly Ibarra led the Rams on three consecutive scoring drives coming out of the break, each ending in a passing touchdown. The junior finished the game with four total touchdowns and no interceptions.
“It felt pretty good,” Ibarra said of finding her rhythm. “The first half was pretty frustrating but the second half was how it should be. We just needed to redeem ourselves because we knew that we’re better than that. When we work together as a team, good things happen.”
After forcing a turnover on downs to open the game, Compton struck quickly thanks to sophomore receiver Ariel Willard. Senior quarterback Venus Quezada found Willard twice on the Tarbabes’ opening drive, including a 10-yard strike over the middle for the game’s first score. Compton followed up on defense by forcing a turnover on downs and two punts before the half.
Millikan forced a three-and-out to open the second half before finding a touchdown pass from Ibarra to Kayla Cisneros. Compton responded with a touchdown on its ensuing drive, a long catch-and-run from Willard, who evaded flag pullers and took off past midfield to give the Tarbabes back the lead. To Millikan’s credit, Compton went three-and-out on each of its next three possessions.
“We’re at the point where we can compete, but the next step moving forward is knowing that we can compete and then finishing it off,” said Compton coach Jason Carreras. “I really feel that anytime we step onto the field we can compete in the Moore League against these great teams. Our program is on the rise but the next step is them knowing that they can compete and then finishing.”
Ibarra spread the ball around during her offensive outpour and did a good job staying poised in front of Compton’s pass rush. Ibarra found Martin on a 20-yard throw down the right sideline, her second touchdown, before finding Charlie Enriquez on the next drive for a 25-yard strike up to the one yard line. Ibarra then found Cisneros again for the short score, before completing her afternoon with a touchdown pass to Penelope Cleven.
“She’s just been getting more comfortable with the rule changes and the blitzers while trusting her reads and knowing that we’ll be able to block,” Pellum said of Ibarra. “It’s just the beginning for her and we have her this year and next year so we just hope she can continue to get better.”
Enriquez was one of Ibarra’s favorite targets throughout the game and had the Rams’ only takeaway with an interception in the second quarter. Pellum had high praise for Enriquez, who has become a key piece on both sides of the ball for Millikan as just a freshman.
“She’s special,” he said. “She’s a special talent and she’ll be a four year starter for us. She’s always one of the fastest and most elusive girls on the field, and we’re just happy she’s with us and we don’t have to go against her.”
Compton has opened its regular season with losses to the top two Moore League teams from last year, which come as their only losses so far this season. Carreras is waiting on a handful of his girls to get healthy and a few transfers to finish the sitout period including his starting quarterback.
“We just hope to get our whole squad back, and these teams in the Moore League are going to have to see us again,” Carreras said. “So with a full roster and more depth, we look forward to that.”
The win comes as the first for Millikan through its Moore League slate, which opened with a loss at Long Beach Poly. The Rams will continue league play against Wilson next week while Compton will host Jordan on Friday.
