Loading ...Football: CalHiSports Central Section Rankings
2 September 2007
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By Mark Tennis
Special from CalHiSports
(Contributing: CBS 47 Sports Director Paul Loeffler)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
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1. (1) Clovis West (Fresno) 1-0
Opening game shutouts are nothing new for the Golden Eagles. They even did it once, remember, to De La Salle of Concord. Coach Marty Martin’s bunch will be looking to execute better on defense this week against El Diamante.
2. (5) Bakersfield 2-0
It looks like the Drillers have a legit State Sophomore of the Year candidate in Alfonso Jackson. QB Pete Mitchell also was outstanding in last Friday’s big win over state-ranked Grant of Sacramento, which is enough to bump coach Tom Golla’s squad up two spots for this week’s rankings. BHS hosts Stockdale next.
3. (3) Edison (Fresno) 2-0
The Tigers have been as impressive so far as anybody in opening wins over Madera (27-14) and North of Bakersfield (26-0) but they do have to be behind Bakersfield in the rankings right now because of the credentials of the two teams the Drillers have already beaten.
4. (4) Clovis East (Clovis) 1-1
Alta of Utah, which is the team the Timberwolves lost to by 28-12 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, has nine starters back on defense and the 2006 Utah Mr.Football, Sausan Shakerian, returning from a team that lost by two points in its state final and also lost by three already this year to Utah’s No. 1 team, Bingham High of South Jordan. All that proves is that Clovis East lost to a very good team and therefore shouldn’t drop too far in this week’s rankings.
5. (2) Liberty (Bakersfield) 0-1
After last Friday’s 9-0 loss to Clovis West, which is nothing to feel too bad about, the Patriots will try to regroup this week against No. 6 Centennial. While the offense didn’t score against the Eagles, it did have opportunities and the defense was more than solid.
6. (6) Centennial (Bakersfield) 1-0
Special teams pushed the Golden Hawks past Redwood of Visalia, 30-21, in their opening game. Taylor Alexander booted three field goals while Preston Lopez scored on a 95-yard kickoff return. Up next for Centennial is No. 5 Liberty.
7. (8) Lemoore 1-0
The Tigers had no trouble in their first game with a 42-6 mashing of Porterville. They should be tested in week two, however, trying to slow down the Pistol Offense of Tulare.
8. (9) El Diamante (Visalia) 1-0
Talk about going from one extreme to the other. The Miners got to play new school Frontier of Bakersfield with no seniors in its first varsity game ever and administered a 63-0 shutout. They’ll play one of the best teams in the state (Clovis West) in the second game.
9. (10) Central (Fresno) 1-0
Golden Valley of Merced was a Sac-Joaquin Section playoff team from last year, so the Grizzlies getting a 41-21 win certainly qualifies as a quality performance. Brian Easter led the way with three TDs while Rakim Dawkins added a pair.
10. (nr) Bullard (Fresno) 1-0
The Knights make the biggest jump in this week’s rankings with a 42-7 romp past a San Joaquin Memorial team that has 12 starters back from a 7-4 squad. Coach Don Arax’s squad now plays three Clovis teams in a row, starting with Clovis High on Friday.
11. (7) Madera 0-2
We will still keep the Coyotes in the top 15 even at 0-2 because the first loss was to No. 4 Edison and the second one was to Las Vegas High, the defending Class 4A state champs from Nevada. Madera plays another team next (Merced) that is on the same level.
12. (12) Sanger 1-0
They don’t have to win, but we’ll find out a lot about the Apaches this week against Clovis East. Last Friday’s 32-29 victory over Sunnyside was punctuated by a game-winning 40-yard field goal in the last minute by Chris Zumwalt.
13. (nr) Tulare 1-0
Posting a 39-15 win over Golden West of Visalia gives the Redskins a bump upward into this week’s top 15 as does the fact that they are playing Lemoore next. Bobby Barnes passed for 200 yards and three TDs and will be looking to have another big game this week against the Tigers.
14. (14) Yosemite (Oakhurst) 1-0
The Badgers were said to be strong this year and they looked the part in a 50-20 win last Friday over Hanford West. They will look to beat the other school in Hanford, Hanford High, in their second game.
15. (nr) Tulare Western (Tulare) 1-0
Stellar play from QB Harless Dailey and RB Edward Dillihunt led the Mustangs to a big 24-20 win over defending Division II section champion Mt. Whitney of Visalia. They play Golden West in this Friday’s game.
Dropped Out: Previous No. 11 West of Bakersfield, No. 13 Foothill of Bakersfield, No. 15 Clovis.
On The Bubble: Clovis 0-1, East Bakersfield 1-0, Hoover (Fresno) 1-0, Mt. Whitney (Visalia) 1-0, Taft 2-0, Tehachapi 2-0, West (Bakersfield) 0-1,
Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com.
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