The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
Without a shadow of a doubt, there’s a new standard for the Wilson football program—but with it comes an entirely new team.
The first year of the Raudric Curtis era brought the Bruins their first win over rival Long Beach Poly and their first Moore League championship since 1991, but Curtis acknowledges that all of that is now in the past. Though Wilson enters the season as the defending Moore League champion, that title means nothing to Curtis unless the 2026 Bruins go out and earn it again.
“Holding up that trophy again is no guarantee, and that’s the reality that my team and I have to understand,” Curtis said at Moore League Media Day. “Nothing is guaranteed. We’re going to have to work, and we’re going to have to be efficient. We have to find our weaknesses and cover them, and exploit our strengths. If we end up with that trophy, it’ll be because we earned it. No one’s just giving you that.”
Curtis is no stranger to hitting the reset button with a new team. When he took over as Wilson’s head coach last season, the Bruins saw 12 players transfer following the coaching change, leaving behind only a handful of key seniors who became the foundation of last year’s championship team. This year, the challenge is no longer keeping players from transferring out, but finding the next group to fill the shoes of those seniors.
That process begins with a handful of talented returners who will anchor both sides of the ball. Leading the way is running back/defensive back Jemel Grigsby, whose stock has continued to rise after an impressive sophomore season. The three-star prospect had 835 yards of offense last year and found the end zone on nine different occasions.
On the opposite end at defensive back and at wide receiver is fellow junior Kyle Harris, another dynamic athlete who also spent this past spring as one of Wilson’s top sprinters on the track and field team. Harris is dangerous both at the line of scrimmage and as a deep threat, giving Wilson plenty of options with him and Grigsby as two of the top athletes on the field, including on punt and kick returns.
“He single-handedly stretches you from sideline to sideline with all the ways you can get him the ball,” Curtis said of Harris. “If he’s in the slot or out wide, you’re going to want a second guy on him. He’s the fastest guy in the league, and if you leave a guy like him one-on-one, you’re going to give up a couple of touchdowns. There are a lot of creative ways we can get Kyle and Jemel the ball, and teams are going to have to make tough decisions about what to do with those two.”
One of the biggest question marks coming into the season is at quarterback, where Wilson is finally having to replace three-year starter Mack Cooper. Wilson’s plan is to slot in senior Logan Trafas, who’s spent previous seasons playing at the lower levels at Wilson and serving as a backup. Curtis also plans to get sophomore Servite transfer Jacob Powell involved after he completes his mandatory sit-out period.
“I’ve been really excited about Logan’s leadership and his ability to make the team better with his decision-making and his composure,” Curtis said. “Logan is going to be a star, and Jacob is going to get his time, so it’s going to be fun to see how their talent shines and how they lean on each other. We have a great dynamic between the two, and we’re at our best when they’re playing for each other.”
Curtis didn’t necessarily have a specific plan for how he’ll manage each quarterback’s workload, but says he certainly plans to have both players involved regardless of the results. The role will be held solely by Trafas for the first five weeks of the season, where you can expect a new layer of Wilson’s offense with his ability to use his legs.
“I like to extend the play when I’m able to, and my game is just getting the ball down the field by any means necessary,” Trafas said of his play style. “Even if we’re pushing just two or three yards every play, it’s about getting positive yardage and moving down the field, and that’s how I view the game.”
Trafas could become a problem in the backfield alongside Grigsby, but he also has plenty of options when standing in a clean pocket. Alongside Harris, Wilson returns senior wide receiver Brooklyn Vega. The Bruins will also rely on junior Aiden Katz, along with sophomore Gary Moore and senior Hudson Dickey.
Wilson retains some of its top talent on either end of the line of scrimmage, including an offensive line made up entirely of upperclassmen. Senior John Chapman will lead that group at tackle opposite of junior Kollin Welch, with senior Daniel Cruz and junior James Moreno at guard. Santiago Delgado will be in the middle of the group at center.
On the defensive end, Wilson will rely on a handful of athletes to start on both sides of the ball. With sophomore Cahmarr Davis at corner and junior Rashad Newsome at nickel, the rest of the Bruins’ secondary will be made up entirely of offensive starters. Grigsby will start at the other corner, with Katz and Vega adding some height at safety.
Curtis knows of the skill it takes to be able to play both ways, but credits his team’s preparation for allowing his athletes to maximize their abilities.
“It’s all their preparation and the mental side of the game,” he said. “It comes from our schedule and how intense our preparation is, and that’s what allows their athleticism to shine because they know their alignment, assignment, and the relationship to the guy next to them. Their talent is nice, but it’s their work along with the guys behind them that gives us our confidence.”
Curtis pointed to the middle of his defense as the biggest key, where he believes he has a handful of linebackers who will be pivotal in controlling that side of the ball. Seniors Dylan Sula and Kingston Meyer will make up the duo in that second line of defense, with junior Ashton Stokes serving as another key piece of the group.
“We have two guys that we know are going to contain the run and not let it get away from us, so as a result we’re going to get in a lot of pass situations where we’ll let our athletes do what they do best,” Curtis said. “We’re able to control the run with those guys and make things a little more predictable for the rest of our defense.”
The only two-way starting lineman for Wilson is John Chapman, who will start at defensive end in addition to offensive tackle. Chapman has been pivotal on both ends of the line for Wilson, but wants to focus even more on the defensive side this year.
“A goal I’ve set for myself is to be more productive on that side, which happens by being selfless and having trust in the guys next to me,” Chapman said. “One person can’t play all positions and be a full team, so it’s about trusting the guys next to me and handling my assignment on every single play.”
Fellow senior Jayson Pimentel will play on the opposite end of the D-line, while Andre Wilson and Max Balusik will be at defensive tackle.
Despite a new Moore League outlook with only five teams and two guaranteed playoff spots, Curtis has been vocal about his decision to schedule a hard six-game non-league slate. That schedule kicks off with Mayfair on Aug. 21 and includes JSerra, Huntington Beach, Dana Hills, Villa Park and Compton.
“We scheduled teams that are at or steps above us,” Curtis said. “As a coach looking in, you might think we’re crazy or we’re not playing the strategy, but for us, the competition is the strategy. If we’re not going from Division 4 and pushing to Division 3 and above, then I think it’s going to be a long road. If we’re not raising the bar, then I think we’re going to be out of the conversation anyways.”
Wilson will open its Moore League slate on the road at Jordan on Oct. 2.
Projected Starting Lineup:
Offense
QB: Logan Trafas (Sr.) / Jacob Powell (So.)
RB: Jemel Grigsby (Jr.) / Adonus Bass (Jr.)
WR: Kyle Harris (Jr.) / Brooklyn Vega (Sr.) / Aiden Katz (Jr.) / Gary Moore (So.) / Hudson Dickey (Sr.)
OL: John Chapman (Sr.) / Daniel Cruz (Sr.) / Santiago Delgado (Sr.) / James Moreno (Jr.) / Kollin Welch (Jr.)
Defense
DE: Jayson Pimentel (Sr.) / John Chapman (Sr.)
DT: Andre Wilson (Sr.) / Max Balusik (Jr.)
LB: Dylan Sula (Sr.) / Kingston Meyer (Sr.) / Ashton Stokes (Jr.)
CB: Cahmarr Davis (So.) / Jemel Grigsby (Jr.)
Nickel: Rashad Newsome (Jr.)
S: Aiden Katz (Jr.) / Brooklyn Vega (Sr.)
2026 Wilson Football Schedule
8/21 at Mayfair
8/28 at JSerra
9/4 vs. Huntington Beach
9/11 at Dana Hills
9/18 vs. Villa Park
9/25 at Compton
10/2 at Jordan*
10/9 at Long Beach Poly*
10/16 vs. Lakewood*
10/23 BYE
10/30 vs. Millikan*
*Denotes Moore League game
