Eisenhower Erases Any Doubts : Prep football: No. 1 Eagles beat Fontana, 14-0, to win second consecutive Citrus Belt League title.

Eisenhower High easily passed the first big test of its No. 1 national ranking Saturday by shutting out rival Fontana, 14-0, in a Southern Section battle of unbeaten teams at Eisenhower.

With heavy security closely watching the standing-room-only crowd of 9,000, the Eagles clinched the Citrus Belt League title for the second year in a row and probably will be top-seeded in the Division I playoffs, which begin in two weeks.

Eisenhower, ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section by The Times, No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and Associated Press, improved to 4-0 in league and 9-0 overall. The Eagles will finish the regular season Friday night at San Gorgonio.

Fontana, ranked No. 2 in the Southern Section, No. 3 in the state and No. 21 in the nation, dropped to 3-1 and 8-1. It will host Riverside Rubidoux on Friday night.

“We made some mistakes today, but let’s give Eisenhower some credit,” said Dick Bruich, Fontana’s coach. “That is one good football team. They are loaded with talent.”

The victory signaled a change in power in the Inland Empire. Fontana dominated the area in the 1980’s, winning two section championships along the way. Eisenhower ended the Steelers’ 23-game winning streak last season with a 16-7 victory before 12,000 at Fontana.

Although Fontana leads the series, 22-5, the Eagles’ back-to-back victories indicate a shift at the top.

“I was much more nervous today than I was for the game last year,” said Tom Hoak, Eisenhower’s coach. “Everyone pointed to us as the favorite today, so I felt if we didn’t win, everyone would have thought last year’s victory didn’t mean much.”

Eisenhower fans stormed Fontana’s field after last year’s victory, tearing down one goal post. There was no such incident Saturday. Eisenhower officials limited the crowd capacity and hired extra security.

Fans filled the stadium 90 minutes before kickoff. Those who could not obtain a ticket lined the fence around the field. Some even sat on top of parked campers and buildings within view of the field.

Those lucky enough to get a ticket were not disappointed. Although Fontana suffered its first shutout in three years, it kept the outcome in doubt until the final minutes.

Eisenhower set the tone by taking the opening drive 67 yards in 17 plays for a touchdown. Running back Omar Love, who finished with 109 yards in 22 carries, scored on a one-yard run up the middle. The drive consumed 10 minutes and included six first downs.

“Talk about taking the wind out of your sails,” Bruich said of the drive. “Before you even get started, you’re knocked down.”

Those who doubted the Eagles’ No. 1 rankings were believers by the end of the game. Eisenhower made the big plays when it had to.

Facing third and 24 from the Fontana 49-yard line midway through the second quarter, Eisenhower quarterback Jevon Hicks passed to Robert Talley down the left sideline for a touchdown.

The Eagles, who are giving up six points per game, stopped two Fontana scoring opportunities in the second half.

The Steelers had one drive halted at the Eisenhower 17 in the third quarter, and were stopped two inches short of a first down at the Eagle three-yard line early in the fourth quarter.

Fontana, held to a season-low 165 yards, was led by running back Richard Stephens, who had 97 yards in 20 carries.