CBC Sports: 2006 TV Football Season Underway!!
by Chris Terrence - 1 September 06

Here we are right at the front door of another exciting year of football in the Central Valley.  This is a great time of the year as the excitement is at a fever pitch and everyone is anticipating how their team is going to do and what surprises lurk ahead.  It's a very busy time in terms of dreams and expectations for the players, the coaches, the students, the fans and all who are associated with the various programs.  Fred Clark and I have been around to quite a few of the football camps and scrimmages this summer, and we are chomping' at the bit to see how the teams respond to all the hard work they have been doing under a hot sun this summer in getting ready.  We have been impressed with the attitude and dedication of the coaching staffs and the players as they have been preparing.

At KJEO TV 32 Sports, we are excited about our season schedule as we know there are many great match ups on the ticket.  We start out with a young Sanger team taking on a very big Sunnyside team at Sunnyside stadium this weekend.  We are happy to showcase some of the best California talent again this year with teams like Bullard, Clovis, Edison, Clovis West, Clovis East, Hoover, Sanger, Madera, Buchanan, Central, Tulare Western, during the regular season, then bring you four weeks of CIF Playoffs in November and December.

This is our fourth year bringing it to you on KJEO, and as we have done in the past, we keep on growing with places you can see the games.  We start out with our TV Game of the Week (see the schedule on this website) airing at midnight on the night of the game on KGMC-TV, channel 43 and Comcast Ch 10 in Fresno and Visalia, and Charter Cable, Ch 15 in Porterville.  Then the game airs on each Saturday on KJEO-TV Ch 32 non-cable, at 10 am and again at 8pm., and, new this year, the game will air again at midnight on Saturdays on KGMC Ch 43, Comcast Ch 10 and Charter Cable, Ch 15 .  The game will also air again on Sundays at 9pm on KJEO, Ch 32. The game will also be available on the Internet (kjeotv.com) beginning on Wednesdays.  And finally, the game will also be available on Comcast Cable's Video on Demand system.

We wish everybody the best for a terrific year and that your enjoy your favorite team's games.  So then, let's tee it up and kick it off.

Week 1

The Amazing, Continuing Adventures of Chris and Fred.  Chapter One.

Despite the fact that Fresno State was,  once again, playing yet another ESPN game on a Friday night, taking away revenue from area high school football gates, the local preps opened another exciting season of Fresno area games. Yes, there were empty seats at many of these high school games played in the Valley while folks jammed into Bulldog Stadium, but there were some very good competitions and performances going on around Valley towns.  Our first KJEO televised game of the week this season had the Sanger Apaches, of Coach Chuck Shidan and staff, traveling down Kings Canyon to take on the Wildcats of Sunnyside High. The game was much better than the 27 to 3 score would indicate. Sanger won the contest by having just too many guns for the Wildcats. Led by Justin Weber, Sanger's all-purpose player, the Apache's took a 14 to 3 lead into the locker room at half time and added a couple more touchdowns in the second half. Weber, a two year letterman and only a junior, scored twice and rumbled for 170 yards rushing from his fullback position, and also played outstanding defense from his safety position, including a terrific one-handed interception that killed another Wildcat drive deep in Sanger territory. Sophomore Mario Navarrete, ran smoothly and smartly for another 136 yards and a score for the Apaches. Sanger had 9 sophomores among the 22 starting positions. A young team indeed, but also an exciting with great promise. Other standouts for the Apaches were Max Tenney at QB, Jordan Wild (94 yards receiving and good defense), Michael Torrejos, Leo Garcia, and Kevin Francone, among others. Except for some special teams flubs, it was a good early season start for the Apaches.

Sunnyside also had some bright moments and played hard right to the end. The Wildcats are another young team, but they going to be rough on NYL teams this year.  Coach Shannon Pulliam, had the team working its Pro Set offense with a good balance of rushing and passing.  Senior quarterback, Sonny Canales, ran the offense well and is a threat as a passer, runner, and leader. Tim Lowe, the flex man on the defensive line, is strong, and quick off the line. The Wildcats also got gutty performances from center Nick Carlson, Michael Butler, Quinell Atkins, John Alvarado, Jahari Darden, also among others. Our KJEO, Business Street Magazine, players of the game were Justin Weber for Sanger, and Tim Lowe for the Wildcats of Sunnyside.  This was the first game of the year and both teams were up for it.  The fans were treated to an entertaining and hard fought game.  It's going to be fun watching both these teams grow this year. Sanger plays in the County/Metro AC, and Sunnyside is in the North Yosemite League, and nobody, and I mean nooooooooooobody, should look past these guys.

Game notes.......The crowd turned out to be pretty good despite the game at Bulldog Stadium where the Dogs opened up with a 28-19 victory over Nevada. Props to them and we're all rooting for the Dogs of course, I just don't like it when they play those games on Friday nights and take away from the high school attendance......Referre Chris Andersen, one of the best in our area, informed us before the game that he is moving to Boise in a few weeks. That's a shame for local football because Chris is a very good ref, and this comes at a time where the number of refs working the games is down this year already. Best wishes to Chris in his new job in Idaho....Oh well, Fred and I still have Daren Miller and Tim Bos to yell at, among others.....Next week we got Bullard playing Clovis out at Lamonica Stadium. We done this game the last three years and it's always been good. Two well coached, hard hitting, and competitive football teams. Clovis won the first one and Bullard has won the last two.....Be sure to catch us on Fox Sports Net 1340am, with a high school report, along with interesting guests, and our friend Brian Noe. Brian used to do his quarterbacking in South Bend, Indiana......OK, not for Notre Dame, but he played at his high school there. Kid knows his stuff.....See you next week.

Chris Terrence