Millikan gathers for a team photo after the Rams defeated Poly in three sets to clinch the Moore League title on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan senior outside hitter Jacob Karkanen, center, and head volleyball coach Matt Johnson, right, celebrate after the Rams defeated Poly in three sets to claim the Moore League title on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Jacob Karkanen, left, and Andre Medina defend the net against Long Beach Poly in boys volleyball action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
From left, Millikan’s Evan Crucil Chambers and Dominic Tirado converge at the net with Poly’s Josiah Hill and Nicholas Frank in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan sophomore middle blocker Andre Medina clenches his fists after picking up a point against Poly in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan senior Jacob Karkanen serves against Poly in boys volleyball action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly setter Josiah Walton readies to pass against Millikan in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan players gather around Evan Crucil Chambers, center, after a point in the Rams’ three-set sweep over Poly to clinch the Moore League title on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan head coach Matt Johnson senses victory on the horizon as he huddles with his team during a time out late in the third set against Poly in boys volleyball action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan sophomore middle blocker Andre Medina, right, gets a hug after a first set point against Long Beach Poly in boys volleyball action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Nicholas Frank tries to hit the ball past Millikan’s Evan Crucil Chambers, left, and Reed Dunnick in boys volleyball action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan’s Jacob Karkanen, from left, Evan Crucil Chambers and Dominic Tirado get in position for a Poly serve in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Millikan senior outside hitter Kobe Magdael, from left, gets a kill over the outstretched arms of Long Beach Poly’s Josiah Walton and Shahi Ifrad in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach Poly’s Shahi Ifrad, #20, watches Millikan’s Jacob Karkanen direct the ball in Moore League action on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
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Millikan gathers for a team photo after the Rams defeated Poly in three sets to clinch the Moore League title on Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2026, at Poly High School in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
LONG BEACH — For the first time in 20 years, Millikan’s boys volleyball team will head into the playoffs as Moore League champions.
The Rams will go into the postseason on a 20-match win streak after sweeping defending champion Long Beach Poly 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 on Wednesday to earn the outright league championship.
Millikan (27-1, 12-0) went unbeaten in league and did not drop a set. The team’s only loss this season was against Los Alamitos on Feb. 28 in a tournament.
“It’s obviously exciting and we’re enjoying it,” Rams coach Matt Johnson said. “Playing our hearts out. The times where it starts to get a little crazy, we refocus and they start playing selflessly again and it works out.”
FINAL (with a correction): Millikan is the Moore League boys volleyball champion for the first time IN 20 YEARS.
Millikan beats defending champ Long Beach Poly 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 @BeachVarsity @johnwdavis pic.twitter.com/G6WUu4KqMc
— Tracy McDannald 📎 (@Tracy_McDannald) April 23, 2026
The CIF Southern Section playoff brackets will be announced Saturday. The Massey Ratings system will be used to determine the playoff divisions and pairings.
Johnson said he does not have an inkling of where the Rams will end up, but with just one loss he said all his team can do is “hope for the best.”
“Our record is awesome,” Johnson said. “But we haven’t played Mater Dei and Mira Costa and Huntington Beach and Loyola and those teams. Those types of matches, I guarantee it’s not going to be three-set matches — or at least, not in our favor. So we hope they factor in strength of schedule in CIF divisions.”
Poly (20-12, 10-2) put up a valiant effort at the start of the match thanks in large part to the defense of libero Dylan Bucu, who had a number of digs in the opening set to keep rallies alive.
The Jackrabbits, who came in with a chance to earn a share of the league title, trailed by as many as six points early before chipping away. A block from Shahi Ifrad pulled Poly within 23-21.
But it was the Millikan block that was dominant from start to finish.
Rams middle blocker Evan Crucil Chambers opened the match with a pair of blocks and opposite hitter Reed Dunnick closed the set with a block,
Millikan had six blocks in the opening set and finished with a 13-5 advantage.
“Millikan is a good team,” Poly coach Sid Davidson said. “They deserve to be where they’re at right now. They’re really tough, they’re a big block.”
Chambers had a match-high six blocks and Dunnick added three.
Chambers, a senior, said himself and fellow senior teammates Kobe Magdael and Jacob Karkanen have worked since they were freshmen to help deliver the team’s first league title with Johnson at the helm.
“We always wanted this,” Chambers said. “I personally didn’t think we were going to go undefeated sets-wise. But we did it, it feels phenomenal. Johnson is happy — that’s what makes me happy.”
The Rams nearly led wire to wire until the Jackrabbits erased a four-point deficit and rattled off six consecutive points to pull in front 19-17 in set three.
The set was tied four times after that before a Karkanen kill and a violation at the net against the Jackrabbits closed the contest and set off Millikan’s celebration.
Magdael had 10 kills to lead a balanced Millikan effort.
Poly got 10 kills from Nicholas Frank, who played through a sore ankle he twisted the day before the match. Middle blocker Josiah Hill added eight kills, two blocks and a service ace.
Davidson said he is looking forward to getting some of his banged up players some rest before the playoffs begin.
The message for his team, Davidson added, is to “stay focused and stay locked in.”
“We gotta make sure we’re going to have to reset because we’re fortunate we have an opportunity to have a second season that a lot of teams don’t have,” Davidson said.