INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I covered the Eastvale Roosevelt-Riverside King varsity football game for the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Friday, Nov. 13, 2009 and came away thinking I’m glad to have had the opportunity to watch and dissect the best three teams in the Big VIII.

Norco, Corona Centennial and Eastvale Roosevelt. In that order. (I didn’t see Corona Santiago so they’re fourth by default.)

Norco (9-1 overall, 5-0 Big VIII) has the great tailback duo of senior Deantre Lewis (6-0, 194) and junior Kelsey Young (5-11, 192). No one can argue that. What separates them is competancy at QB, i.e. senior Taylor Viloria (6-3, 201). The Cougars also have the best coach in the Inland Empire, Todd Gerhart. I watched Gerhart and Norco pound Riverside King, 32-13, on Oct. 31.

2. Centennial (8-2, 4-1) has a very good duo in senior Denzel Hawkins (5-7, 185) and junior Dion Bass (5-9, 190) and one huge question mark at QB. Is it sophomore Michael Eubank (6-5, 220) or senior Michael Arredondo (6-0, 175)? Coach Matt Logan seems like he gets the most out of his players, usually. I watched as the Huskies pound Riverside North, 52-20, on Oct. 23.

3. Roosevelt (8-2, 5-2) has two very talented QBs in senior Harold Mobley (6-5, 240) and sophomore Aaron Crone (6-0, 180), one great receiver in senior Austin Hill (6-4, 200) and one very good receiver in Tyler Slavin (6-4, 200). They also have a competant tailback in junior Joey Legere (5-6, 180), who ran for more than 100 yards and a TD as the Mustangs beat up on the Wolves, 27-18, in a Week 10 tune up for the first round of the CIF Inland Division playoffs.

The Mustangs coach, Bill Stacy, is respectful and low key. He let his defense do the talking as they played the exact syle needed to beat King’s clock-chocking offense — they bent but didn’t break. 

The offense, led by Crone, finally started clicking in the third quarter and the Mustangs scored three touchdowns — all of which went for for an average of more than 50 yards.

Big-play receivers Hill and Slavin caught TD passes from Crone. Slavin scored twice on seemingly the exact same play — a vertical route jump ball attempt. Hill’s headed to a D-I of his choice; Slavin will be the most sought-after reciever in the Inland Division next season.

Todd Handley (5-9, 175) continues to produce for King (4-6, 3-4), totaling 153 yards on 24 carries and one 33-yard TD reception in the loss. He reminds me of former NFL great Barry Sanders in the way he can find tiny holes for huge gains but also get tackled behind the line with regularity.