Previews of Week 5’s top high school football games Friday

Previews of the Inland area’s top high school football games Friday:

COVINA (3-1) VS. BONITA (3-1)

Game info: The Bearcats, who learned this week that they must forfeit their Aug. 31 win over Riverside Poly (47-28) due to an ineligible player, are still off to their best start since 2015 when they won their first five games. Senior quarterback J.P. Andrade has led the effort, throwing for 1,203 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Bearcats, who beat rival San Dimas in the teams’ annual Smudge Pot Game two weeks ago. Bonita, which is averaging nearly 500 yards a game and scored 24 touchdowns in its four games, also looks to running back Miles Moradian, who has rushed for 279 yards and five scores, and receiver Cade Cadam, who has 22 receptions for 509 yards and three TDs. Covina, which is looking to win the Valle Vista League title after sharing it with Northview and San Dimas last season, has been an offensive juggernaut this fall. The Colts are averaging 44 points a game. They have eclipsed 50 points each of the past two weeks. They are led by junior quarterback Nin Burns II, who has thrown for 1,040 yards and 12 TDs, and junior running back Erik Cuellar, who has rushed for 569 yards and eight scores. The contest will be played at San Dimas High, which Bonita is using as its home field while its stadium is being refurbished this fall.

HERITAGE (2-2) at CAJON (4-0)

Game info: Heritage, which depends on defense and a strong rushing attack, meets a well-balanced Cajon team which can gain yards in chunks via the rush or the pass. The usual players lead the Cowboys – QB Jayden Daniels has already thrown for 1,023 yards and 17 TDs and RB Daniel Fortune has rushed for 330 yards and five TDs and caught nine passes for 204 yards and five TDs. Tall WR Darren Jones has latched onto 17 passes for 375 yards and six TDs. Defensively, Jonathan Perkins (11.8 tackles per game), Trayvonne King (nine TPG and five QB sacks) are disruptive. Coach Nick Rogers also praised the play of defenders Cameron Stephens, Rodney Robinson, Jason Mitchell and Jerrell Weber. OL Jordan Dean-Reynoso is probably out again with a sprained knee. Heritage looked good in wins against Oak Hills and Great Oak and stumbled against Redlands East Valley and Orange Lutheran. The Patriots throw sparingly, instead relying on the running of QB Trey Goodlow and RB Kenny Teter. Ika Tuatala is another running threat, when healthy. Defensively, Heritage leans on Kriston Pierre (nine TPG, two sacks) and Donovan Salavea (seven TPG).

RIM OF THE WORLD (4-0) vs. ARROWHEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (4-0)

Game info: Two unbeaten teams meet at Citrus Valley in an intriguing showdown. Included in Rim’s victory total is a forfeit win against Carnegie Schools-Riverside. The Fighting Scots also have a 13-7 win against Bishop Union, the school Rim coincidentally defeated for the 1976 section title. The QB of that 1976 team, Bob Gradillas, is now the Scots’ offensive coordinator and associate head coach under Joe Jurado. Rim doesn’t throw much, depending instead on RB Jordan Taylor (490 yards rushing, eight TDs). Placekicker Isaac Lopez regularly booms kickoffs into the end zone and has the leg to make long field goals. Andrew Wetzel (6.3 TPG) leads the defense and is a stalwart on the OL. ACA has won four games in a row, with its toughest conquest being a 16-14 decision against Verbum Dei. QB Elijah Wilridge has passed for 334 yards and three TDs, Jeremiah Martin has rushed 45 times for 275 yards and five TDs and Josh Ortiz has caught four passes for 140 yards and two TDs. Players to watch on defense are Ryan Worrell (7.3 TPG) and Josh Jizmejian (eight TPG).

CITRUS VALLEY (3-1) at GRAND TERRACE (2-2)

Game info: Citrus Valley has lost only to Colony (36-26). New coach Kurt Bruich depends on QB Jonathan Calderon (535 yards passing, five TDs) and the running of Jordan Garcia-Frye (194 yards rushing, three TDs). Calderon can also scoot, picking up 154 yards rushing and scoring one TD. The Blackhawks’ top receiver is Jesus Guzman, who has caught 17 passes for 355 yards and three TDs. Players to watch on defense are Ryan Gandy with 11 TPG and Danny Lockhart and Jacob Moi with 10.5 TPG. Grand Terrace’s losses are to Yucaipa (34-13) and Santiago (38-14). The Titans have been getting healthy after a run of bad luck; RB Jeremi Massey (a transfer from Los Osos) is a player to watch, as are QB Mekhi Lewis and WRs Lonzel Bradford and Garrett Ostrinski. “We just need better consistency and to finish,” fifth-year coach Ryan Smalls said.

Source link