Corona finds a silver lining

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Adversity backhanded Corona before its season even began.

The team’s top two lineman, Max Tuioti-Mariner and Henry Asuega, suffered season-ending knee injuries during preseason practice, leaving the Panthers with really big holes on both sides of the ball.

Tuioti-Mariner, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive guard, is ranked as the 13th best player in the state, regardless of position, by rivals.com. Asuega, a 6-0, 260-pound defensive lineman, has scholarship offers from Texas El Paso, Idaho and Nebraska.

‘We lost a lot of depth,’ Coach John Brandom said.

Brandom recently uncovered a pleasant surprise in sophomore running back Jordan James, however. In a 28-27 loss to Valencia West Ranch last Saturday, James rushed for 299 yards in 29 carries and scored all four touchdowns.

‘He’s as good as they get,’ Brandom said.

I’ll reserve judgement until after this month. The Panthers are looking at back-to-back stiff tests against Riverside North, ranked No. 18 in the Southland by The Times, on Friday at Riverside King High, and then host unbeaten Temescal Canyon on Sept. 28.

- Dan Arritt