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El Toro's Robert Frith, left, will lead the Orange County All-Star team against Matt Logan, right, and the Inland Empire All-Stars in a game Jan. 24 at Corona High.
El Toro’s Robert Frith, left, will lead the Orange County All-Star team against Matt Logan, right, and the Inland Empire All-Stars in a game Jan. 24 at Corona High.
Dan Albano. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Staff Mug Shot taken August 26, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.

The growing rivalry between Orange County and the Inland Empire in high school football will be funneled into a quickly forming all-star game later this month.

A contest between Orange County and Inland Empire seniors has been scheduled for Jan. 24 at Corona High at 7 p.m., and the game’s organizers hope to make it an annual event.

Robert Frith of El Toro has been selected Orange County’s coach and Matt Logan of Centennial of Corona will guide the Inland Empire team. Both coaches are known for running up-tempo, spread offenses.

Frith said the pairing of Orange County and Inland Empire grabbed his attention.

“I think it’s a great idea,” he said. “Just with the way high school football in Southern California is going and the competitiveness of both counties.

“I’m just extremely excited and honored to be asked to be the head coach of the Orange County team.”

Logan views Orange County and the Inland Empire as budding rivals, especially because of the new-look playoff divisions that debuted in the fall. Centennial moved from the Inland Division to the Pac-5 Division while Mission Viejo and the South Coast League tangled with several Inland teams in the West Valley Division.

“We’re crossing paths now, in the big divisions,” Logan said of Orange County and the Inland Empire. “It will be a fun game to watch.”

Frith’s Chargers lost in the second round of the West Valley playoffs to Great Oak of Temecula, 27-24.

Logan’s Huskies continued their rivalry against Mater Dei. They fell to the Monarchs, 38-18, in a season-opener at the Mission Viejo Classic but beat the Orange County powerhouse, 27-24, in the second round of the playoffs en route to its first Pac-5 Division title.

Meanwhile, Mission Viejo beat four Inland Empire teams en route to the West Valley title.

The game will be a spinoff of a 30-year-old all-star competition in Riverside. For the past 15 years, the game has pitted Riverside County against San Bernardino.

This game will continue to be supported by the SPORT Foundation, a nonprofit charity that has awarded close to $150,000 in scholarships, the Press-Enterprise and Adrenaline, an athletic training facility in Corona.

“We’ve wanted to do (Orange County vs. Inland Empire) for years,” said Jim Clover, coordinator for the SPORT Foundation.

“Orange County has always been very solid … and with Centennial Corona and some other schools out here, the Inland Empire is getting pretty good, too.”

Centennial of Corona reached the CIF State Open Division bowl, falling to De La Salle of Concord, 63-42.

“We have a lot of talent down here and definitely the Inland Empire keeps on producing top-notch talent,” Mater Dei All-County defensive lineman Malik McMorris said.

“Should be a great game filled with big plays and big hits.”

Eight Orange County football standouts, including McMorris, participated in national all-star games last week in Florida, Texas and Carson.

Orange County’s 56th North-South all-star game is scheduled for July 9 at Orange Coast College.