INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I’m covering the Riverside North-Fontana Kaiser varsity football game tonight for The Press-Enterprise. The best part of this assignment is sure to be seeing the rematch of a game I saw in Week 2 last season.

THE LOWDOWN:
The Huskies (2-0 overall) are among the Inland Area’s most improved teams, having notched victories over a CIF champion (Colton) in Week 1 and a regional power (Mission Hills Alemany) in Week 2 en route to a No. 8 ranking in the week’s Prep Football Top 10. Coach Mark Parades’ inventive offensive schemes are finally being realized by a do-everything quarterback and and a set of skilled offensive playmakers.

The Cats (1-1) are probably at the lowest point they’ve been in a decade after losing 52-7 to San Bernardino Cajon in Week 2. Coach Phil Zelaya was quoted this week as saying his team “didn’t give itself a chance to win” with penalties and poor execution, and that was against the Cajon, a team with about half as much big-play potential at North. Clearly, Kaiser’s chances don’t improve much this week.

KEY PLAYERS:
North — QB: Justin Gheorghe, Jr. (6-foot, 185 pounds); RB: Denzel Foster, Jr. (5-8, 185); WR: Aaron Peck, Sr. (6-3, 205); Denziel Myers, Sr. (6-foot, 183); Garrette Biggers (5-8, 160); OL: Uhila Afungia (6-3, 270); LB: Marcus Baugh, Sr. (6-5, 225).

Kaiser — RB: Desmond Herrera, Sr. (6-foot, 175 pounds); Marquette Washington, Sr. (5-10, 185); LB: Kevin Trujillo, Sr. (6-1, 205).

THE DIFFERENCE:
A year. That’s right. One year. Kaiser dominated North 28-0 in 2010 but it could be (but probably won’t be) the exact opposite in 2011 as the Huskies’ young offense has matured into one of the most explosive units in all of the Inland Area.
PREDICTION: North 38, Kaiser 14