By BOB KEISSER | preps@ocregister.com |

LONG BEACH – Anyone who has seen Millikan’s football team the last few seasons will not be surprised by the Rams’ first game of 2019.

Down 28-22 with 54.9 seconds left in the game, the Rams and quarterback Keanu Campbell-Caldwell drove 80 yards in five lickety-split plays, the senior quarterback hitting a leaping Ezavier Staples for a 9-yard touchdown go tie the score with 19 seconds left. Noah Scott drove home the winning PAT to secure the 29-28 win over visiting L.A. City power Carson.

The Rams had five comeback wins with late scoring plays or defensive stops in 2018. They fell behind 21-7 and had a unique call on a muffed punt reverse a touchdown and force them to play catch up late.

“I knew what kind of player he was when I got here,” first-year Rams coach Romeo Pellum said of Campbell-Caldwell after the win. “All I told him to do was do what he was made to do, be a leader and find a way to win this game.”

Campbell-Caldwell hit Aaron Okoro for 29 yards and two plays later found Jerron Lincoln, who had a big second half, for 32 yards to get to the Carson 16. Two plays later he found Staples for the win.

The quarterback threw for 297 yards while overcoming three interceptions. Lincoln had seven receptions and two touchdowns.

A Scott field goal gave the Rams a 22-21 lead. It looked like it would be a bigger lead when Matt Garcia recovered what looked like a muffed catch of a punt by Andrew Gonzalez.

But the officials ruled that any ball that goes into the end zone, even if it was touchdown by a receiving player, is automatically a touchback. Carson kept possession and retook the lead with 5:56 to go.

The Rams gave Carson a quick head start. Campbell-Caldwell’s first pass of the season was intercepted. Makoa Tuisalo’o cutting in front of a receiver and sprinting down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown return and 7-0 lead after the PAT.