INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I’m covering the Redlands-Fontana Miller varsity football game tonight for The Press-Enterprise. The best part of this assignment will be the game’s playoff implications. That is, the winner is in, and the loser is out.

THE LOW DOWN:
The Terriers (3-6 overall, 2-2 Citrus Belt) have had a pretty rough go this season. They went down to Orlando, Fla. and pulled off an impressive victory in Week 0, but returned home and lost four straight non-league games, albeit two of the losses were to teams in the week’s Inland Area Top 10 (No. 7 Rancho Cucamonga, No. 10 Fontana Summit). Long-tenured coach Jim Walker’s namesake, junior Jimmy Walker, has run the offense this season for Redlands and has struggled at times, completing just 48 percent of his passes, with seven TDs and seven INTs. Junior RB Craig Lee is averaging more than 10 yards per carry, and has totaled 12 TDs and more than 1,100 yards.

The Rebels (5-4 overall, 2-2 Citrus Belt) have had a season of streaks. First-year coach Marcus Soward’s team won three, lost three, won two more and then lost last week to No. 6 Yucaipa. Will the pattern continue or can the trend be bucked? Reasonably balanced (1,350 pass, 1,482 rush), Miller’s offense has been handed to junior QB Aaron Miano, who has totaled 16 TDs and more than 1,100 yards. Senior RB Khaylin Jackson has received the bulk of the carries (averaging more than 95 per game), and senior WR/KR Turner Jackson has proven explosive, with 37 receptions and five total TDs. Perhaps the brightest star on the Rebels is Reshawn Hooker. The senior LB is among the top players in the region at his position, with 62 solo tackles, five sacks and two INTs.

KEY PLAYERS:
Redlands — QB: Jimmy Walker, Jr. (6-foot-3, 210 pounds); RB: Craig Lee, Jr. (6-foot, 188); Darryl Miller, Jr. (6-1, 200); FB: Simione Aluesi, Soph. (6-1, 255); WR: Quanze Hogue, Sr. (6-2, 186); Mike Stallone, Sr. (5-11, 190); TE: Jordan Roy, Sr. (5-11, 212); OL/DL: Kevin Gavigan, Sr. (6-4, 260); Siala Siliga, Sr. (6-foot, 285); Kendoe Moore, Sr. (6-2, 223); Roman Cross, Jr. (6-foot, 230); LB: Anthony Aguila, Jr. (6-foot, 185); Perode Charles, Jr. (6-foot, 212); Jay Nottingham, Jr. (6-2, 205); Brandyn Spurlock, Sr. (5-11, 177); DB: Brett Layton, Sr. (6-foot, 170); Aaron Kelley, Sr. (6-foot, 200); Walter Jones, Jr. (6-foot, 177).

Fontana Miller — QB: Aaron Miano, Jr. (5-foot-11, 170 pounds); RB: Khaylin Jackson, Sr. (6-1, 185); WR: Turner Jackson, Sr. (5-9, 150); Willie Graham, Sr. (5-11, 180); Marte Witt, Jr. (6-2, 165); TE: Andrew Perez, Sr. (6-2, 190); OL/DL: Anthony Ayala, Sr. (6-4, 260); Jacob Jaramillo, Sr. (6-2, 270); Walter Lemus, Soph. (6-3, 285); Jose Sanchez, Sr. (6-5, 290); Isaiah Sparks, Sr. (6-4, 265); Justin Sawyer, Sr. (6-1, 185); Brandon Fletcher, Jr. (5-9, 180); LB: Reshawn Hooker, Sr. (6-2, 205); Jermaine Robertson, Jr. (6-3, 175); Keith Moorefield, Jr. (6-2, 180); DB: Deon Brown, Sr. (5-11, 160); K/P: Lorenzo Camarena, Jr. (5-11, 245).

THE DIFFERENCE:
These teams have similar talent levels, so maybe there’s a reason this game is for third place in the Citrus Belt League. This game will come down to the turnover differential, almost assuredly. Expect Miller’s Hooker to play his tail off and extend his team’s season, therefore allowing a few more recruiters to get a look.
PREDICTION: Miller 27, Redlands 20.