Football: It’s the battle of Redlands on Friday
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It’s a ‘Smudge Pot’ game between teams with unblemished league records.
Redlands and Redlands East Valley are playing each other Friday in a battle of teams unbeaten in Citrus Belt League play. Is it the biggest game for the teams in recent memory?
‘I guess you could look at it that way,’ Redlands East Valley Coach Kurt Bruich said. ‘Not to sound arrogant, but every year we’re playing somebody for the title. This year it happened to be Redlands.’
But the fact that it happened to be the Wildcats’ cross-town rival could make the battle all the more heated. Redlands (8-1 overall, 6-0 league) has won eight consecutive games since losing its opener against Temecula Great Oak, with running back Cameron Villalobos rushing for more than 100 yards five times.
‘We respect them,’ Bruich said of the Terriers. ‘Their kids and our kids grew up playing together.’
Redlands East Valley (9-0, 6-0), ranked No. 9 in the Southland by The Times, relies on running back A.J. Fernandez (1,153 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns) and Colorado State-bound quarterback Tyler Shreve, who has 18 touchdown passes and only one interception.
Redlands East Valley last won a league title in 2007 and Redlands in 2006.
--Ben Bolch