Leagues on the Line

Tulare Union (8-0, 4-0 EYL) has a chance to seal an EYL title tonight with a win over Monache (5-3, 3-1 EYL).

Monache coach Chris Likewise has been here before. In two of the last three years, the league championship has hinged on this game with his Marauders losing to the Redskins on both occasions. But he’s not ready to concede defeat simply because his team is expected to lose.

“We’re gonna show up, we’re still playing for a league title,” Likewise said. “Our kids understand that. They’re fired up and ready to play. That’s our goal here. We want to win a league championship. We’re gonna have to play one whale of a game to dethrone those guys, but hey, that’s why we play the games.”

The Redskins are ranked No. 1 in Division II and in the Central Valley. The main reason for the top ranking is superstar running back Jontell Reedom, who has been scouted by Division I teams. Reedom leads the EYL with 1,470 yards and 28 touchdowns. 

Likewise said he’s like a college football player trapped inside a high-school jersey.

“Their overall team speed is phenomenal,” Likewise said. “Their running back (Jontell Reedom) is such a great combination of size and speed. It’s sometimes scary to watch him on film and think that he’s playing against high school kids. You see some of that type of size and speed and athleticism on Saturdays.”

Reedom may be the Redskins’ main threat, but he’s not their only one. 

Quarterback James Guerrero sports a nearly perfect touchdown-to-interception ratio of 21 TDs to just one INT. Four of his wide receivers have more than 200 yards receiving, including 6-foot-3 junior Marquis Wilson, who has 459 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Reedom’s talent is the main reason Guerrero’s been so effective, Likewise said.

“That’s part of the reason why those numbers are so gaudy,” he said. “People get sick of Reedom running all night and then they start crowding the box and he throws it to one of the big wideouts and they go get it and score.” 

Union pasted the other two Porterville schools by a combined score of 115-16 this season and has run roughshod over each opponent, outscoring its schedule 411-101. 

The Redskins’ coach said this team might be as good as the teams that took home Valley titles in 1999 and 2000.

“I think there’s that much of a speed disparity between them and anybody they play in our league or anybody they’ve played so far,” Likewise said. “We (Likewise and Union coach Darren Bennet) were (both) around when they were back-to-back Valley champions and they had some big-name guys. I think they’re just as good if not better than they were then and coach Bennett agreed. He said, ‘Yeah this is probably one of the best teams I’ve ever coached.’”

The Marauders boast victories over Mount Whitney and Cesar Chavez where their defense had to contain explosive running backs (Ben Bowen and Matthew MacAnas), but Likewise said his unit, mainly his defensive line, is suffering from injuries.

“The number one thing we have to do against them is tackle,” Likewise said. “It’s kind of hard to tackle (Reedom) one-on-one or in the open field so we really have to run to the football. Basically all 11 guys are gonna have to have a great game on defense.”

Offensively, seniors Joey Perry (399 rushing yards, four touchdowns) and Ulysses Serna (248 receiving yards, two touchdowns) will be counted on to match Union’s firepower. The Marauders will still likely head to the playoffs with a victory over Porterville next week if this game ends up like most think it’s going to. The magnitude of a possible upset and EYL crown left Monache’s senior running back at a loss for words.

“I don’t even know what to say, that’d be great,” Perry said. “I want a league title pretty bad.”

Monache gets a chance to shock the league at 7:30 p.m., at Jacob Rankin Stadium.