A.B. Miller Rivals Fontana, Eisenhower

The Citrus Belt League football championship traditionally is decided by the outcome of the game between Fontana and Rialto Eisenhower.

Fontana (5-1) and Eisenhower (6-0) meet Friday at Eisenhower in the Southland’s game of the week, but the league title is far from being decided.

Not with Fontana A.B. Miller now in the picture.

Miller, located three miles from both Fontana and Eisenhower, is 6-0. After consecutive 3-7 seasons, the Rebels are averaging 49 points a game and giving up 11.6.

“The kids we played as sophomores have grown up,” Miller Coach John Tyree said. “We’ve closed the gap. This team is ready to win a league championship.”

Miller made a statement last Friday with a 49-14 victory over Redlands in the league opener. Jeff McGarrity rushed for 181 yards and five touchdowns in 17 carries out of the Rebels’ option attack. He has gained 928 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.

Lamar Anderson has gained 527 yards in 28 carries and Justin Colbert has 224 yards in 24 carries.

Senior quarterback Alan Flores has run for 302 yards and passed for 485 and six touchdowns.

Miller plays Rialto on Friday, but gets its big test Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 in back-to-back games against 1989 Division I champion Fontana and 1993 champion Eisenhower.

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John Sciarra has made good choices this season as a sophomore quarterback for La Canada St. Francis.

His father, John Michael Sciarra, has a choice to make Friday when St. Francis (4-2) plays at La Puente Bishop Amat (6-0).

The elder Sciarra threw 19 touchdown passes for Bishop Amat in 1971, the fourth-highest season total in school history. He said his allegiance Friday will not be with school, but with son.

“I root for Amat in every game they play, with the exception of when they play against one of my offspring,” said Sciarra, who was a Rose Bowl most valuable player for UCLA in 1976 and had a six-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Unfortunately, St. Francis is going to be a substantial underdog. I want to tell [Bishop Amat Coach Tom Salter] to take it easy on my son, but it doesn’t work that way.”