The Californian | Posted: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 8:15 pm

CHAPARRAL (1-4) vs. VISTA MURRIETA (4-1)

KICKOFF: 7 p.m. Thursday

SITE: Vista Murrieta HS

TV: Fox Sports West (delayed broadcast at 8 p.m.)

LEAGUE: Southwestern

LAST MEETING: Chaparral defeated Vista Murrieta, 13-7, in last year's CIF SS Inland Division title game.

SERIES UPDATE: Vista Murrieta has won four of the last six contests between the two teams, five of which have been decided by six or fewer points. Two of them went into overtime.

LAST WEEK: Chaparral defeated Indio, 63-0; Vista Murrieta defeated Pacific Palisades 45-16.

 

PLAYER TO WATCH: Chaparral hadn't had a 100-yard rusher all year until the Pumas put RB Darius Guillory in the backfield last week. Filling in for the injured Skyler Seibold (head), all the San Diego State-committed Guillory did was rush for 134 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries. Look for Guillory to continue to carry the load in the backfield.

VISTA MURRIETA'S OUTLOOK: Storylines abound in Thursday's Southwestern League opener, the highly-anticipated rematch of last year's Inland Division title game. The Pumas scored twice in the first half in that contest and watched its defense hold on for the victory on the Broncos' home field. Don't think the Broncos won't remember how it felt walking off their field as Chaparral celebrated a championship that ended Vista Murrieta's perfect season and, likely, a state bowl berth. "There is definitely some payback in our minds," said Broncos DL Jon Sanchez, who is also verbally committed to San Diego State. "They beat us in that championship game and we feel they took that away from us. That's what we were working hard for this offseason. We'll be ready."  ... In their usual fashion, the Broncos appeared on their way to another perfect preseason when Encino Crespi poured on nearly 500 yards through the air in a 45-31 victory that gave Vista Murrieta its first nonleague loss in six years. The loss also dropped the Broncos from most state polls (as high as No. 6 at calpreps.com) and confirmed for most observers what coach Coley Candaele and his staff believed from the get-go ---- this is a team in transition from last year's championship run. "(Preseason rankings) were purely based on last year's performance and the fact that we had a Division I quarterback coming back," Candaele said. "We didn't do anything to deserve that ranking." ... That D-I quarterback is Utah-committed Derrick Brown and he's again emerged as the primary threat in the Broncos' offense. He's rushed for 335 yards and five scores and has thrown for 740 yards and nine TDs while establishing a rapport with WR Michael Mazur (435 yards, 7 TDs). On the ground, RB Jovonte Slater (305 yards rushing) is an intriguing talent who gets most of his yards on the edges. Look for the Broncos to attempt to get Slater, a two-event qualifier for last year's state track meet, the ball in space on offense and on kick return teams. ... Defensively, the Broncos have stars at three levels in Sanchez (four sacks) on the line, sophomore Su'a Cravens (four fumble recoveries) at linebacker and senior Jagade Snyder (four interceptions) in the secondary.

CHAPARRAL'S OUTLOOK: The Broncos' secondary, of course, won't have to deal with WR Antoine Arnold, who made a pair of key third-down conversion catches in last year's championship win for the Pumas. Arnold is suspended for the game because of last year's post-game actions, though the Pumas don't expect his absence to limit their ability to move the ball. "We'll be able to manage," Guillory said. "We've still got solid receivers and our offensive line has improved a lot. I think we'll be alright." ... The Pumas managed just six offensive touchdowns during a four-game losing streak at the hands of Oceanside, Fresno Central, Corona Centennial and Anaheim Servite before breaking out against Indio (1-4) last week. The victory was the Pumas' first since walking off the field a champion last year. Penalties on the offensive line, as well as injuries and new faces in key places have all played a part in a slow start to the season for the offense. "This has been tough on everybody ---- the coaches, the players, the community," Chaparral coach Tom Leach said. "We're getting a lot of (flak) for going 0-4, which I knew was a possibility. If you don't play well against those kind of teams, you're going to lose ... That's what we've got to get used to ---- playing well. You have to play well to win in this division and do what we expect to do and want to do. I think there's a lot of lessons we've learned through this year." ... Last week, QB Matt Morin threw for 173 yards and a score on 10-of-13 passing and rushed for 86 yards in his return to action from a non-throwing shoulder injury and Guillory (shoulder) was electric each time he touched the ball. Senior Dylan Valentine also rushed for 84 yards on three touches and could emerge as factor in the Pumas' running game. ... Defensively, Guillory and Valentine star in the secondary and LBs Joe Robinson and Curtis Dozier are playmakers for a defense that's played well, save for the occasional missed tackle on big gains

HE SAID IT:  "I can't blame (our doubters). That's what people do who aren't with the program ---- some jump off the bandwagon. But we're all with the program and we all believe in what Leach did this year." ---- Pumas RB Darius Guillory.

CALPREPS.COM PREDICTION: Vista Murrieta 28, Chaparral 17