Nico Iamaleava helps lead Warren football to victory over Serra

DOWNEY >> Nico Iamaleava was acceptable for the biggest crippled of his emerging shot career.

The 6-foot-6 inferior backmost for Warren, who transferred from Long Beach Poly due to the fact that helium wanted to pb his squad to large victories, did conscionable that Friday successful a 14-0 triumph implicit Serra.

Facing a third-and-19 concern precocious successful the archetypal quarter, Iamaleava scrambled for a archetypal down, with hopes of igniting the Bears offense. However, a fewer plays aboriginal connected the aforesaid possession, Iamaleava punted connected 4th down.

In Warren’s archetypal 3 games, the Bears (4-0) scored 53, 52 and 40 points, respectively.

However, against Serra (1-3), it was the Bears’ progressive and assertive defence that made the quality connected their location field.

Junior cornerback Scooter Jackson intercepted Serra’s backup quarterback, Ciel Myles, successful the 2nd 4th aft elder Maalik Murphy went retired with an injury. Murphy was aboriginal seen connected the sidelines without his pads oregon jersey on, indicating his nighttime was implicit by the 2nd quarter.

Meanwhile, Iamaleava connected connected a 65-yard touchdown walk to elder wide receiver Joshua Jackson, which enactment Warren up 7-0.

The adjacent thrust for Warren ended with different 11-yard touchdown pass, this clip to sophomore Jordan Anderson.

At halftime, Warren led 14-0 against an injury-depleted Serra.

An interception by Bears sophomore Lamarr Stephens with 1 infinitesimal to spell sealed the game.

Warming up with @nico_iamaleava8. @BeachVarsity @WHSBearFootball pic.twitter.com/RvyXddWnpb

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 11, 2021

“(Nico is a) big, diversion kid… he’s precise intelligent, pugnacious young man, who runs the discourtesy with ease,” said Warren caput manager Kevin Pearson. “He’s lone played 7 varsity games but helium looks similar he’s been successful the programme for 4 years.”

Across the sidelines was expected to beryllium Murphy, a 6-foot-5, 235 lb elder quarterback, who has committed to play shot astatine the University of Texas nether Steve Sarkisian.

“Maalik is an elite quarterback,” said Serra caput manager Scott Altenberg earlier the game. “He’s a large leader. He knows the offense. He’s got a batch of poise. He’s a truly bully athlete, throws a large football.”

However, it was inferior Kai Honda who took implicit the reins of Serra’s discourtesy aft Murphy and the backup Myles were knocked retired of the game.

“We’ve been deed by the wounded bug,” Altenberg said.

Serra backmost Maalik Murphy volition ticker the 2nd fractional from the sidelines, aft leaving the crippled against Warren aft a hard deed successful the archetypal half. pic.twitter.com/hMUCljGk5f

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 11, 2021

Altenberg is looking guardant to getting respective starters backmost earlier Serra begins Mission League play connected Oct. 1 against Alemany.

In Iamaleava’s archetypal 3 games of the season, helium had thrown for astir 290 yards per crippled and 18 touchdowns.

Press-Telegram Boys Athlete of the Week: Nico Iamaleava, Warren https://t.co/5PswqyOCXP

— Long Beach Varsity (@BeachVarsity) August 24, 2021

In his 4th crippled against Serra, helium recovered from throwing an aboriginal interception to propulsion 2 touchdowns, bringing his play full to 20 TDs.

Iamaleave, an athletic, pro-style quarterback, is ranked arsenic 1 of the apical 5 players astatine his presumption crossed the federation successful the Class of 2023. He presently has much than a twelve Division I offers from big-time programs similar Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Warren High School Football caput manager Kevin Pearson talks astir however awesome Warren’s Nico Iamaleava Jr. and Serra’s Maalik Murphy are arsenic elite quarterbacks. @BeachVarsity pic.twitter.com/rPSmenx1fJ

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 11, 2021

As for Iamaleava, the entity is the limit.

“His ceiling is truthful precocious and I’m truthful excited astir him moving forward, not lone from precocious schoolhouse to the adjacent level and beyond. He’s a peculiar endowment for sure,” Pearson said.

The Bears volition play astatine Culver City connected Sept. 17. The Cavaliers volition big Carson connected Sept. 17.

More to travel connected this story.