HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : FRIDAY’S TOP GAMES

PASADENA MUIR (1-1) VS. BANNING (0-1)

Friday, 8 p.m. at Gardena

It’s all business this week for down-but-not-out Banning Coach Joe Dominguez, whose team has lost five consecutive games dating back to last season. Sources on the Banning campus say the Pilots are preparing for the Muir game with Super Bowl-like intensity. But Dominguez, who has blamed himself for Banning’s fall from grace, needs more than enthusiasm from his players. After the Pilots were cited for 18 penalties totaling 164 yards in a 7-6 loss to Long Beach Poly last week, Dominguez needs better execution and discipline from his team. One bright spot in the opening-game loss was the 99-yard performance of running back Wendell Dumas. But the Pilots weren’t able to generate a passing attack, mainly because of dropped passes. Even more disconcerting is the fact that Banning’s veer offense, run by quarterback Anthony Nicholson, was unable to get into the end zone more than once. Muir is coming off a 14-7 loss to Fontana, the state’s top-ranked team. In its opener, Muir beat Palmdale, 38-13, as quarterback Sedrick Thomas threw for 250 yards and ran for 50. Last season, Muir tied Banning in an early-season game in Pasadena and went on to tie for the CIF-Southern Section Division II title.

WEST TORRANCE (2-0) VS. ROLLING HILLS (1-1)

Friday, 3 p.m. at Rolling Hills

West Co-Coach Mark Knox isn’t surprised by his team’s 29-point scoring average, despite the off-season transfer of quarterback John Walsh. “Our offensive line is doing a really good job, and we’ve got two veteran running backs in Alex Schultz and Roberto Bustamante,” Knox said. Schultz leads the team with four touchdowns. Knox said the ground game will be a key for both teams. “Rolling Hills can hurt you with the pass, but basically they’re like us--they need to establish the run in order to control the ball,” he said. Rolling Hills’ two previous games, a 28-9 loss to Mary Star and a 41-0 win over Centennial, have been virtual opposites. “Mary Star is much better than Centennial, but we did improve a great deal (from week to week),” Rolling Hills Coach Gary Kimbrell said. “And we’ll have to continue to improve at the same rate to have a chance against West. They’ll be the best team we’ve played.” Rolling Hills depends on running back Robert Coulter. He gained only 36 yards in the season-opening loss, but came back with 183 yards to key last week’s win. Kimbrell hopes the Titans have a more balanced attack by the time league play starts.

TORRANCE (1-1) VS. REDONDO (2-0)

Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Redondo

A Redondo victory will match last year’s win total. Clearly, first-year Coach Chris Hyduke has already turned things around. Previously Redondo’s defensive coordinator, Hyduke has the Sea Hawks swarming to the ball. They’ve given up single-digit scores in both games. But Hyduke said he’s also had fun putting in a new offense, which is averaging 29.5 points. Big-play running back Anthony Curtis has scored a team-high three touchdowns. But Redondo, which has beaten Miraleste (1-1) and South (0-2), will face its toughest challenge. Torrance’s offense has averaged 18.5 points a game, and the defense held Morningside to one offensive touchdown in a 13-12 victory a week ago. The Tartars are led by running back Carlos Hilliard, who has four touchdowns; and up-and-down quarterback Jason Kendall, who struggled last week until suddenly catching fire on the game-winning 77-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Kendall finished with 116 yards on six-of-15 passing but threw for 60 yards on the decisive series. A physical team, Torrance hopes to wear down Redondo. “We’re in good shape,” Torrance Coach Rich Busia said. “We take a lot of pride in our conditioning. (Morningside) did move the ball on us the first half, but our defense got better as the game went on because of our strength and conditioning.”

RIALTO EISENHOWER (2-0) VS. HAWTHORNE (2-0)

Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Hawthorne

For weeks now, Hawthorne Coach Goy Casillas has been talking about his team’s murderous non-league schedule. And although Hawthorne has survived unscathed in the early going, the opponents keep getting tougher. Eisenhower, which competes in the tough Citrus Belt League, beat Long Beach Poly, 14-7, and Cajon, 44-19, in its first two games. Casillas saw Eisenhower play last week and was impressed. “They’re a fine, well-balanced football team,” he said. “They pass and run well, and we’re going to have to play a whale of a ball game just to stay with them. They’ve got good team speed. They’ve got a big, tall kid at quarterback (Jason Davis). They just look awesome. They completely tore apart Cajon.” Hawthorne, ranked seventh in The Times’ Southern Section poll, beat Santa Ana, 20-17, last Thursday, and the team is better for the experience gained in the game, Casillas said. “It’s a good sign for a team to rally late in the fourth quarter like we did,” he said. Hawthorne quarterback Jamil Williams and wide receiver Tarrick Brock have connected on three touchdown passes totaling 99 yards in the first two games, accounting for almost half the team’s season total of 40 points. Casillas acknowledged that the Williams-to-Brock combination has been crucial to Hawthorne’s offense, although he said he wishes the Cougars didn’t have to rely on it so heavily.

SCHEDULES, INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS, RANKINGS: C16