QB Iamaleava lifts Warren's hopes for an undefeated season, state title
DOWNEY >> Nico Iamaleava is on a mission.
“I'm trying to go for an undefeated season,” Iamaleava said. “Last year, playoffs went downhill after I went out of the game.”
Iamaleava is not used to losing. In fact, he's lost only one varsity football game in two high school football seasons (13-1 as a starter).
After an undefeated 8-0 regular-season record in 2021, Warren lost 42-35 to Corona del Mar in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.
Iamaleava, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound fivestar quarterback who committed to the University of Tennessee in March with plans to enroll early in January 2023, was injured in the second quarter of his first playoff game, and with him went the Bears' 28-14 lead and 2021 playoff hopes.
“I want to take hits better than how I did last year,” said Iamaleava, who now weighs 205 pounds. “Getting down and not trying to run everybody over, getting out of bounds. This past year, I've watched a lot more football, and quarterbacks on the next level are smart about protecting their bodies. That's definitely my plan this year.”
After a transfer in March to Long Beach Poly, where he played volleyball in the spring, Iamaleava recently transferred back to Warren.
He said he's excited for his senior season of high school football.
“I would say going farther in the playoffs,” Iamaleava said when asked about what he wants to improve upon this season. “I went out against CdM and I was upset that I didn't get to go back in. I definitely want to go farther in the playoffs and win state, have a shot at state.”
The senior is telling people to look out this season for junior wide receiver Jordan Ross and senior wide receiver/safety Darius Cowens, as well as senior running backs Romeo Clark and Marcus Higgs, in a high-powered offense that averaged 41.6 points per game last season.
“We have a young offensive line right now. So we're looking forward to building that up to par,” Iamaleava said.
Warren football coach Kevin Pearson said what makes Iamaleava special is what people don't see.
“He's an extremely hard worker,” Pearson said, “and he will put in the work in and out of school and away from school, and he's going to continue to be like that in college.”
Iamaleava realizes he will need to rely on his team's defense to win a championship. Last season, the Bears gave up only 10.6 points per game, including six games in which they gave up seven or fewer points and shutouts against Wilson and Serra.
“It all starts up front with our O-line and D-line. Those guys will take us as far as we need to go,” Iamaleava said. “We can win a championship with this team for sure.”
Nate Gonzales
A key to Warren's defense this year will be the emergence of senior defensive end Nate Gonzales, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound threestar recruit.
“I've challenged myself. I've been going to training every day, weightlifting,” Gonzales said. “I've been on a meal plan. I've turned it up 100% compared to last year.”
Gonzales said his goal is to play college football and earn a full athletic scholarship. He's interested in schools like UC Davis, Sacramento State, USC and Stanford.
He said everything began clicking in Week 4 last season.
“I would say last year towards the middle of the season in the Serra game,” he said. “I began starting. I've been making plays, getting playing time and getting positive feedback from my coaches, and I've been getting noticed by colleges.”
Gonzales said Warren's defense always wants to hold its opponents to zero points.
“That's one of the most important things (that) our previous defensive coordinator Stacey Ford (who is now the director of recruiting at Washington State) talked to us about, was not letting them score at all. Every time after a game, when we held teams scoreless, we would get doughnuts.”
That's a tradition Gonzales is looking forward to continuing with the Bears' stout defense that includes Division I recruits like senior linebacker E.J. Smith, junior defensive end J.T. Houston, senior safety Darius Cowens and senior cornerback Huron “Scooter” Jackson.
Q&A with coach Kevin Pearson
(The interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR TEAM'S IDENTITY TO BE THIS SEASON? >> “Just give great effort, that's what we talk about all the time is give great effort in all they do, every rep counts on the field. Every play, running backside pursuit, blocking on the perimeter, blocking away from the ball, everything. Giving great effort is what we talk about all the time.”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE UPON FROM LAST SEASON? >> “I think finishing. I thought we had an unfortunate situation, when you lose your quarterback, especially a guy like Nico (in the playoffs), it's pretty tough to get through that. We asked Madden (Iamaleava) to do a lot of stuff that was unfair to him and I felt that I probably should have given him more reps in practice. So as a 27-year coach, I've learned something and I try to get better year to year, game to game and week to week. We're really repping (Madden) a lot this year (in practice), getting him ready so if he's in a similar situation like that again that he'll be ready.”
WHO ARE SOME STANDOUT PLAYERS ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE? >> “You have to start with Nico, obviously. I'm also excited about his brother. His brother (sophomore Madden Iamaleava) is a completely different player than he was last year at this time. Our two quarterbacks are really good. We also have Darius Cowens, who played quarterback with us all summer and his growth was phenomenal from April until the end of the passing league in July. He was a completely different player and he's such a phenomenal athlete himself . ... At receiving corps you have Jordan Ross, who is one of the most special receivers I'm ever going to have the fortunate blessing to coach . ... Then we have our two starting running backs, seniors Romeo Clark and Marcus Higgs.
“I think we have a chance to be really explosive on offense, even more so than last year.
“On defense, you have to start with senior linebacker E.J. Smith, who is the twotime defensive MVP of the San Gabriel Valley League, as a sophomore and a junior. I like our perimeter guys, Huron “Scooter” Jackson, who's been a phenomenal athlete, one of the best, toughest, longest corners I've had, who recently committed to Tennessee State University... Also (safety) Jordan Jones. You have Darius Cowens, who is going to end up starting at safety for us who is already offered a scholarship as a safety by Colorado State, so although he's a quarterback, he's also a great defensive player ...
“You have (junior) J.T. Houston, who is probably the most athletic defensive end you're going to see on the field this year, against any school we play. I don't think there's going to be a better defensive player on the line of scrimmage than him, he's so athletic. We had him playing a lot of linebacker this year and he still might do that but he's a great edge player.”
“We also have a senior named Nate Gonzales, who became a starter for us midway through the season and probably just outworked everybody that he played against in the offseason.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR TEAM'S CEILING IS? >> “Our ceiling is really high. Last year, we were in Division 2 (for the playoffs) and it looks like we will be in that Division 2 conversation again. If we're healthy, we can compete for the title . ... If we're in Division 3, then we're in pretty good shape as well but still, you have to be healthy and get better every week.”
ULTIMATELY, WHAT WILL MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL SEASON? >> “I'll let you know 40 years from now, see how good these kids are as fathers and I really mean that. I really judge our program on how we are influencing these young men in their lives and that's the truth. That's not cliché. That's our No. 1 focus here, but if you're talking (on-field) success-wise, I hate to tell the kids that if we don't win a title, it's a failure. I hate that narrative because it's hard to win a title, especially in the level we're playing but if we compete the best we can, we're going to be better every week, giving great effort, I'm happy with that. I can deal with a loss, if we give great effort. I can also deal with winning a championship, hopefully, that's where we're at.”