FRIENDS TO HAVE FOOTBALL FACE-OFF.

Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Staff Writer

Tim Ennis and Terrell Merritt forged a friendship playing youth football for three years that began when they were 11.

Tonight, they'll have to put their friendship on hold for a few hours.

Ennis and Merritt quarterback teams with drastically different systems in a pivotal Golden League showdown when Knight (2-3, 1-1) plays host to Lancaster (3-2, 2-0).

Ennis, a 6-foot-1, 190-pounder, is a traditional pocket passer whose quarterbacking career goes back to when the two were teammates.

Merritt, a 5-foot-5, 155-pounder, is a converted running back who's excelled in Knight's newly-implemented option offense.

``We're good friends,'' Merritt said. ``We like playing against each other but it's going to be different this year because this is the first time I'm going to be playing against him as a quarterback.

``It's going to be a quarterback against a quarterback, or I guess you could say a quarterback against an old running back.''

The two were teammates on a Palmdale Jets team that played in Pasadena's Rose Bowl.

``We were sitting next to each other in the lockers and we were like `this is so cool,' '' Ennis said.

Ennis, who last season led the league passing for 1,003 yards, has completed 30 of 58 attempts for 303 yards in a run-oriented Delaware Wing-T offense.

Lancaster runs the ball on nearly three fourths (189 of 256) of its plays.

Merritt, the focal point of Knight's option, averages 85.2 rushing yards and has thrown for 499 yards. He's been involved in more than three fourths of the Hawks' total yardage (925 of 1,238).

Both players seem to have pretty good ideas about how to stop each other.

Merritt, who also plays defensive back, figures to be involved in blitz packages designed to disrupt Ennis' flow.

``You've got to move (Ennis) around,'' Merritt said. ``You really can't let him get too comfortable in there or he can really hurt you.''

Ennis said Lancaster's challenge is to remain disciplined against an offense that relies heavily on deception, creating openings for players such as Merritt.

``Assignment football, that's what we have to do,'' Ennis said. ``If we do that I think we can stop Terrell and his offense.''

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

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TONIGHT'S GAMES

ANTELOPE VALLEY (0-5, 0-1) at HIGHLAND (1-4, 1-0) 7 p.m.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Highland Sr. QB Kevin Bevans. Bevans is a mobile quarterback capable of making big plays. He's thrown for 387 yards and is the team's leading rusher, averaging 44.6 yards.

OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs have momentum after their league opening 41-8 victory over Littlerock and have had a bye week to prepare for Antelope Valley. The Antelopes are hungry for their first win. Depth is a concern though, especially after being outscored 27-0 in the second half of last week's 37-10 loss to league favorite Palmdale.

PALMDALE (4-1, 1-0) at LITTLEROCK (0-5, 0-2) 7 p.m.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Littlerock So. QB Jonathan LaRicca. Since taking over the program's West Coast offense Week 3, LaRicca has thrown for 429 yards and five touchdowns in three games.

OUTLOOK: The Lobos are in a no-lose situation and can a claim moral victory by being reasonably competitive with the perennial Golden power. Palmdale has hit its stride, outscored its opponents 133-22 during a four-game winning streak since its Week 1 loss to Crespi of Encino.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1) MERRITT

(2) ENNIS

Box:

(1) TONIGHT'S GAMES (see text)

(2) FIRST AND 10

(3) INSIDE THE NUMBERS