Montclair Prep to Unveil Touted Backfield Tonight

Montclair Prep’s highly-touted backfield will get its first test tonight at 7:30 when the Mounties face Serrano in a nonleague opener at Pierce College.

Serrano is located in Phelan, Calif., northwest of San Bernardino. The Diamondbacks play in the eight-team DeAnza League, in which they finished 6-1 (8-3 overall) to place second behind Big Bear last season.

Serrano was eliminated in the first round of the Southern Section Division IX playoffs last season, losing to Kern Valley, 34-20. Montclair Prep, which finished 6-5 last season, also lost in the first round of the Division IX playoffs, dropping a 24-6 decision to Oak Park.

Senior tailback Michael Jones, the Valley’s leading returning rusher, teams with junior fullback Derek Sparks, the sophomore state player of the year who transferred from Banning, in Montclair Prep’s backfield. Leland Sparks, Derek’s cousin, will quarterback the Mounties after transferring from Texas during the off-season.