This week’s top high school games

SOUTHERN SECTION

* Huntington Beach Edison (4-1) vs. Anaheim Esperanza (4-1) at Placentia Valencia High, 7, tonight: This Sunset League opener could go a long way toward deciding the title. Both teams were idle last week. Esperanza, ranked No. 12 in the Southland by The Times, has the best rushing attack in Orange County, led by a pair of 6-foot-2 running backs, Rocky Taloa (832 yards rushing) and Charles Neal (404), along with a senior-dominated offensive line. Edison relies on the versatility of quarterback Brian Shrock and the all-around play of receiver-linebacker Hunter White. Watch to see just how effective Edison’s standout tackle, Romney Fuga, can be.

-- ERIC SONDHEIMER

* Corona Centennial (4-1) at Norco (5-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Norco, ranked No. 10, added portable bleachers for this Mountain View League opener, which is expected to be another Inland Empire shootout. Centennial, ranked No. 8, defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 49-47, two weeks ago and won the Division V title last season with a 49-35 victory over Norco. This week, the Huskies must try to contain one of the state’s all-time leading rushers in Toby Gerhart, a senior who totaled 236 yards in 12 carries last week in a 49-21 victory over Tustin, giving him 7,438 for his career and breaking the Riverside County record of 7,256, set by David Dotson of Moreno Valley Valley View from 1989 to 1991. Gerhart is third on the all-time state list, 323 yards behind Dominique Dorsey of Tulare and 1,057 behind Lorenzo Booker of Ventura St. Bonaventura. Centennial might have the region’s next great ball carrier in sophomore Ryan Bass, who rushed for 401 yards and six touchdowns against Rancho Cucamonga in his first start.

-- DAN ARRITT

* Los Angeles Loyola (4-1) vs. Santa Margarita (3-2) at Saddleback College, 7:30 p.m., Friday: The Serra League’s game of the week pits ranked teams coming off losses. Loyola, ranked No. 21, has averaged 34.4 points, which is about 11 more than No. 16 Santa Margarita, whose two losses were by a combined four points. Santa Margarita, which blew a two-touchdown lead against Santa Ana Foothill in the final four minutes of a 22-21 loss last week, will try to exploit its speed advantage, which includes receiver Ryan Maxwell, who is averaging 10 yards per carry and 17 per reception. On paper, Loyola, which lost to No. 15 Newhall Hart, 34-27, last week, has the better offense. Chad Peppars has rushed for 448 yards and seven touchdowns and Henry Burge has passed for 897 yards and seven touchdowns. Jon Angelo has rushed for 345 yards and two touchdowns and Jon Daniels has thrown for 682 yards and eight touchdowns for Santa Margarita.

-- MARTIN HENDERSON

* Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos (4-1) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (4-1) at Chaffey College, 7 p.m., Friday: This Baseline League opener ought to be emotionally charged. Four players from Los Osos -- defensive back Devin Ross, and two-way players Anthony Sutton, Deon Ford and Quasand Lewis -- transferred to Rancho Cucamonga, and their contributions have helped make the Cougars No. 24 in the Southland. With Kyle Crisp (8.3 yards per carry, five touchdowns), a transfer from Upland, to complement the play of quarterback Josh Fellhauer (63.2%, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions), Rancho Cucamonga has averaged 36.3 points in games against Fontana Kaiser, No. 8 Centennial and No. 25 West Covina South Hills. Los Osos’ Tyler Rogina has seven sacks, but the offense must control the ball, even though it hasn’t scored as many as 36 points in any game.

-- MARTIN HENDERSON

* Riverside Arlington (4-1) vs. Riverside La Sierra (5-0) at Riverside Norte Vista High, 7 p.m., Friday: It’s an Ivy League opener, but the league title could be at stake as the teams appear to be the league’s top two. La Sierra, the defending league champion, has one of the most prolific offenses in the Southland. Sean Sudol has passed for 1,262 yards and 17 touchdowns and the team has averaged 44.6 points through five games. Arlington is looking for a return to its winning ways. In three years since a 10-2 league championship season in 2001, the Lions are 15-16 and have made the playoffs once. Defense is the strength for Arlington, which has held opponents to seven points or fewer three times and has allowed 11.2 points per game.

-- PETER YOON