INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I’m covering the San Bernardino San Gorgonio-Riverside Norte Vista CIF-Southern Section Eastern Division semifinal round playoff football game tonight, Nov. 29, 2013, for The Press-Enterprise and HSGametime.com.

The best part of this assignment will be witnessing which team advances to its first CIF title game this century.

THE LOW DOWN:
The Spartans (12-0 overall) continue to fire on all cylinders, and downed what was considered to be the Eastern Division’s best defensive unit with a strong second half en route to a 43-17 victory over Hemet Tahquitz last week. QB Tahir Rasheed-Mills has totaled more than 3,000 yards of offense and 43 TDs for coach Ron Gueringer, who may end up hosting the title game.

The Braves (4-8 overall) remain the oddity of the Inland Area football scene they were stripped of seven victories and the league title. They remain in the playoffs, nevertheless, and are a dangerous offensive team (85 points in two playoffs games thus far) with junior RB Andrew Martinez continuing to compile numbers as the team totals nearly 300 rushing yards per game.

THE KEY PLAYERS:
San Gorgonio — QB: Tahir Rasheed-Mills (Sr., 5-8, 175); RB: Wesley Hill (Sr., 5-11, 180); WR: Nathan Meadors (Jr, 5-11, 165); Tazha Muhammed (Jr., 5-8, 165); OL/DL: Malik Anderson (Sr., 5-10, 220); Kyle Jenkins (Jr., 6-foot, 225); DE: Cal Jenkins (Jr., 6-1, 240).

Norte Vista — QB: Michael Hedlund (Sr., 6-foot, 210); RBs: Andrew Martinez (Jr., 5-10, 185); Deaundrae Castanon (Sr., 6-1, 210); WR: Victor Gonzalez (Sr., 6-2, 170); Joseph Jolley (Sr., 6-3, 190); MLB: Francisco Chairez (Jr., 5-7, 195); S: Jesus Gastelum (Sr., 6-1, 160).

THE DIFFERENCE:
Despite scoring fewer than 56 points for the first time since Week 5, San Gorgonio’s depth of offensive talent is unlike anything Norte Vista has seen this season. Expect the Braves’ bizarre postseason to end tonight.
THE FINAL SCORE: San Gorgonio 38, Norte Vista 24