Week 5 High School Football Preview: Marina vs. El Modena

When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Westminster high

Key Vikings: So. QB Jack Miller (61 of 121 passing for 778 yards, seven TDs and six INTs); Jr. RB/DB Pharoah Rush (114 carries for 592 yards and five TDs); Sr. WR/CB Nathan Pendleton (21 catches for 291 yards and three TDs)

Key Vanguards: Jr. QB Nathan Lomeli (46 of 83 passing for 605 yards, five TDs and one INT; 36 carries for 180 yards); Sr. RB/OLB Collin Keefe (45 carries for 289 yards and three TDs; 10 catches for 116 yards and two TDs); Sr. WR Ryan Smith (14 catches for 256 yards and two TDs)

Breakdown: Following a 32-7 loss to rival Huntington Beach in a nonleague edition of the Oil vs. Water game, Marina coach Jeff Turley said that the Vikings had hit “the meat” of its schedule. Friday’s nonleague home game against the Vanguards (3-1) will be the third straight game that the Vikings have lined up against a ranked foe. El Modena is ranked ninth in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 poll … The Vikings (2-3) had a quarterback battle brewing in training camp, but Miller has taken the job and run with it. Last week, he threw his only touchdown to senior tight end John Robinson, who was another one of the names discussed as a possibility to be the Vikings’ signal-caller prior to the season … El Modena had allowed just 14 points through its first three games, before suffering a 29-27 loss on the road against El Dorado … The Vikings need their defense to keep the game close early and allow their running game to be established. Rush had 12 carries for 87 yards last week against the Oilers.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner