Orange Glen Quarterback Hopes He’s Worth Watching

About this time last year, Daren Wilkinson was standing around a lot, watching.

That tends to happen when you’re a second-string quarterback at Orange Glen High School, and Cree Morris is the starter.

This year, Morris has moved on to San Diego State, and Wilkinson is No. 1 at Orange Glen. And things have changed. Wilkinson is still watching Morris, mind you. But instead of doing it in person, he’s watching on film.

Orange Glen (3-1, 1-0 in the Palomar League) visits Poway (3-1, 1-0) tonight at 7:30. So this week’s feature film is “Poway vs. Orange Glen, 1988.”

“We’ll throw in last year’s Poway film and say ‘Look at Cree. Look at what he’s doing here,’ ” Orange Glen Coach Rob Gilster said. “I think (Daren) feels some pressure to do well at quarterback just because of the quarterback tradition here at Orange Glen.”

In that respect, he’s carrying himself well. In a new offense that stresses a balanced attack rather than a passing-oriented game, Wilkinson has completed 36 of 65 passes for 575 yards. Coupled with the running of fullback Ryan Strathearn (76 carries, 500 yards), Orange Glen has managed to make up for some of the punch lost with Morris’ graduation.

Defensively, Orange Glen has allowed just 35 points all season.

Poway is coming off a 28-14 victory over Torrey Pines, which isn’t likely to win more than two games this season. But if Torrey Pines is down this year, most of the rest of the Palomar League is up. With Rancho Buena Vista heading the list, and at least four other teams contending for the title, coaches aren’t daring to make many predictions.

“In this league, every game is a big game,” said Rudy Casciato, a Poway assistant. “Each week the games seem to get bigger and bigger.”

Because Poway runs the wishbone, it doesn’t have one particular offensive standout--the Titans spread the ball around equally. Tight end Miles Kelly, who has four touchdown receptions, could probably be considered the star of the pack.