The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The Long Beach Millikan flag football team is hard to stop once they get going. That was the case Monday afternoon at DeHaven Stadium as they used a second-half surge to defeat Lakewood, 18-2.
“A win is a win,” Millikan coach Romeo Pellum said. “It’s hard to win in high school sports. We’ll take it, but definitely we need to clean that up. Especially at the second stretch of league coming up.”
After both teams punted on their opening drives, Millikan’s Holly Ibarra connected with freshman Charlie Enriquez and she got loose for a 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown down the left side of the field to give the Rams a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
“We’ve been learning some new plays at practice,” Ibarra said. “Still got to get used to a couple of them. But when we work together, come together – we play our game.”
Enriquez continued to help move the ball down the field for Millikan, but Lakewood’s defense bent but didn’t break with Lei’Anna Gaines and Jaylah Fuailetolo on the outside keeping contain when the Rams tried to use their speed on the outside.
The Lancers’ came up with three turnovers on downs and kept the Rams scoreless. Isabel Jovel started to get comfortable surveying the field and using her feet to keep plays alive, but Millikan’s defense forced two punts and two turnovers on downs to take a 6-0 lead into the half.
“We’re starting to rally behind our offense,” Lakewood coach Fernando Viramontes said. “We’re starting to be able to move the ball which is good. It’s a good sign.”
After forcing a Lakewood punt to start the second half, Ibarra found Nikki Cheshire for a 34-yard strike to extend the lead to 12-0. Ibarra wasn’t done there as Millikan took advantage of a turnover on downs and she found Enriquez again for a 30-yard strike to push the lead to 18-0.
“She’s proved herself for sure,” Ibarra said of Enrqiuez. “She’s a weapon on offense and defense.”
Lakewood’s defense continued to lock in and after Layla Kawamura came up with an interception – Sydney Martz pulled Ibarra’s flag for the safety to make it 18-2 a couple drives later.
“We made some bonehead plays,” Pellum said. “I think we need to do a better job of decision making.”
Millikan will take on Cabrillo on Wednesday, while Lakewood takes on Compton to wrap up the first round of Moore League play.
