Ron Gueringer talks about Centennial-Corona and “the IE” as if he grew up there.
The “IE,” which is area slang for Inland Empire – basically, an area carved within Riverside and San Bernardino counties, away from the O.C. and L.A. – has long been dominated on the football field by Centennial.
Gueringer, who has led San Gorgonio-San Bernardino to its last three San Andreas League championships, has plenty of ties to Centennial.
You could allow Centennial a little chance to breathe between its showdown shootout with No. 1-ranked St. John Bosco-Bellflower in the Southern Section’s Pac-5 championship game last week.
The No. 2 Huskies outgunned their opponents, 62-52, setting up a showdown against the movie legends – De La Salle-Concord – a 14-0 Centennial team going up against the 12-1 Spartans.
Meanwhile, Centennial’s triumph lifted it to No. 1 rankings in two national polls – MaxPreps.com and HSFB100 – taking over St. John Bosco’s previously top-ranked spots.
Current coach Matt Logan was brought onto the Huskies’ staff by none other than Gueringer – assistant coach from 1992-95, head coach in 1996-97, returning as an assistant from 2003-2009.
“No one works harder than Matt Logan,” said Gueringer, trying to explain the Huskies’ high-achieving success. “No. 1, he’s developed a system there, his offensive system, he’s super prepared.
“They just don’t believe anyone can stop them.”
In the win over St. John Bosco, Gueringer said an early-game fourth-and-2 was the key to Centennial’s victory.
“On their own 28,” said Gueringer, who is 53-32 at San G between 2009-2015. “You think they’re going to punt. St. John Bosco thinks they’ve stopped them. The mentality of a football team on that first series, they think they’ve done their job and stopped them.”
Centennial rolled the dice, got the first down and scored five plays later.
“Ninety-eight percent of teams everywhere,” said Gueringer, “maybe 99 percent, would’ve punted.”
If they had punted, said Gueringer, “certainly St. John Bosco would’ve had momentum.”
The Huskies haven’t convinced three other national polls to lift them past No. 2 status – USA Today, PrepNation.com and High School Football in America.
Centennial and De La Salle is a rematch in the state’s Open Division from 2014. That’s when the Spartans beat the Huskies, 63-42.
Which is another part of Logan’s mystique as Centennial’s coach, said Gueringer. “He’s not afraid to play anyone.”
That includes Nevada powerhouse Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas, Mater Dei-Santa Ana, Long Beach Poly, you name it.
Gueringer recalled a freshman game in the 1990s when Roosevelt-Eastvale walloped Centennial, 44-0.
“There was a lot of talk at that game,” he said, “a lot of chest pumping, a lot of things being said, that Roosevelt was taking over, that they were going to be the big boys.”
By the time those kids were seniors, he said, “there was more than a 50-point spread in the varsity game (Centennial winning).”
In the early years, Centennial’s varsity went 0-9-1.
“Those kids’ senior years,” said Gueringer, “they went to the (Southern Section) finals.
“That’s what Matt does.”
It’s the fifth time over a nine-year span that the teams from Corona and Concord will square off with a California playoff bowl championship on the line. It’s Centennial’s seventh bowl appearance since the state federation office entered into a statewide playoff bowl championship format in 2006.
This year’s game, meanwhile, will be held at Hornets Stadium (Sacramento State) – the first time the championship has been played in Northern California. For years, it was played at the Stub Hub Center in Carson.
“In the IE,” Gueringer said, there are usually about three tiers of teams out there.”
In that top tier, of course, rests Centennial, “and maybe Vista Murrieta,” said Gueringer, “who’s been to the (Southern Section) finals the past five or six years,” along with, perhaps, Norco.
The Pac-5 Division, which includes Centennial, “is the best football around,” said Gueringer.
The second tier is led by Vista Murrieta, not a Pac-5 Division participant, “but after Centennial, they dominate the IE.”
Teams like Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Redlands East Valley, Heritage-Romoland, Citrus Hill-Perris, among others, rest in that third tier of teams.
“Sometimes,” said Gueringer, speaking about his own team, “we’ve been in that third tier.” He said Serrano-Phelan is “fighting to get there.”
San G, perhaps, taking on Centennial?
“Not right now,” says Gueringer, with a chuckle. “We’d get our asses kicked. Maybe someday.”
Some 51 teams statewide, more than last year’s turnout, will be playing off for 13 state championship games. Unlike last season, in which some Southern Section division champions were not entered in the state playoff system, every 2015 Southern Section champion landed a regional playoff berth.
In the 5AA ranks, unbeaten Notre Dame-Riverside, which beat Ambassador League rival Linfield Christian-Temecula, 14-6, will play at Chula Vista on Friday night against Mater Dei Catholic (12-1).
Up north, Bradshaw Christian-Sacramento (11-2) goes up against 10-2 Immanuel-Reedley (near Fresno) to play the Mater Dei-Notre Dame winner for the state title a week later.
Citrus Hill, which is no stranger to Southern Section championships, gets its chance to step into the state playoff structure. The Panthers (12-2), who rolled past unbeaten area heavyweight Heritage-Romoland, 29-10, in last week’s Inland Division championship, will play Calabasas in Saturday’s Division 2A Regional showdown.
The winner will play either St. Francis-Mountain View (11-2) or Pleasant Valley-Chico (12-0) for the state playoff bowl title.
As for Gueringer, he was chatting with area legend Chris Claiborne, the defensive coordinator for Calabasas, on Tuesday morning. Claiborne, who dominated the prep ranks during his days at North-Riverside, wound up at USC before playing for five NFL teams between 1999-2007.
In the 1999 NFL draft, the linebacker was the ninth player selected by Detroit.
“I didn’t give him a scouting report (on Citrus Hill),” said Gueringer. “Honestly, I’m for the IE. I was talking to him about coming out to speak to my kids.”
It might have seemed Gueringer might offer Claiborne a chance to return and coach at San G.
The rich population of Calabasas might be the hurdle to clear there.
“He’s getting paid,” said Gueringer, “and getting paid well to coach there. We can offer him a pat on the back and a lot of love.
“After that …”
