CIF Playoffs Off to an Exciting Start in Week One

Week One of the Central Section CIF high school football playoffs had it's usual excitement with some upsets, close games, and the top teams in each divisions getting a chance to regroup with a bye. In our first TV coverage of this year's playoffs, we had the Clovis High 35-21 win over the Tigers of Edison High. The Cougars played well and also capitalized on six Edison turnovers that ended the Tigers season at 6-5. Our players of the game were Jayson Mayberry for the Cougars and Tim Horton for the Tigers although Nick Palomino did everything but play the tuba in the Clovis High marching band at half-time.

In other action, Sanger pulled out a 35-34 win over a tough Buchanan team in three overtimes in front of a packed house at Tom Flores Stadium in Sanger. Justin Weber scored another four TD's, rushed for over 200 yards again, caught Sanger's only pass reception for another 24 yards, made a whole bunch of tackles, and also sold a record 374 hot dogs and 187 bags of pop corn in the concession stand. ....The #10 seed Central got only 127 yards rushing from soph sensation, Brian Easter, but it turns out he only got the 127 because he had to stop after he scored on TD runs of 66 and 40 yards, and 70 yards after he caught a pass from QB Bryant Baker.....In Div II, Hoover upset #7 Monanche with a great game from QB AJ Rodreguiz and the running of Clifton Rodgers.......Reedley beat San Joaquin Memorial 34-6 and Yosemite surprised Hanford 35-28 to move on to round two, while Lemoore got past Tulare Union 38-17....In Div II it looks like it may wind up a showdown between West of Bakersfield and Lemoore......In Div III Washington Union "upset" Delano, 50-21 and now get a shot at Garces in the second round....Division 4 is looking like a Dos Palos v Taft showdown in the final, but I could be wrong. The Broncos, who lost their first two games this year, have been sparkin' ever since..........In Division 5, I thought Fowler was going to be the dark horse, but they got beat by a point, 21-20 by Strathmore....This week's Liberty (Madera-Ranchos) vs Firebaugh should be a good one.

Round Two - This Week:

Div I:
Sanger vs Clovis West at Buchanan's (BEC) - Two really well coached teams where anything is possible, but the Apaches are the underdogs..... Central vs Clovis East at Lamonica Stadium - Can Brian Easter get through that mighty East line? Odds say not often enough. Another rough and tumble game. Clovis at Bakersfield - The Cougars the underdogs, but hey wait a minute, they have been here before and have done well in the role. The Drillers have Philip Thomas & Co., then again the Cougars have jolly 'ol St. Nick......could be a super game... Liberty Bakersfield at Madera - This could be another great game and this one's too close to pick....Madera gets a little edge playing at home...

Division II:
Reedley at West - Uh-oh, excuse me, but isn't that Ryan Matthews putting on that West jersey over there? "Waiter! Check please." Reedley has to play perfect as well as finding a way to stop the Matthews Steamer. Hoover at Lemoore - The Pats have one of those teams that on any given night can give anybody a run. When you played Lemoore last season, you had big troubles to worry about - Corey Billingsly and David Ausberry at QB and all purpose back. This year you have a great defense to worry about. I'm not sure which one of those is the scariest. East Bakersfield at Mt. Whitney - Mt. Whitney is a huge climb for the Blades, especially in the Visalia range of things. Yosemite at El Diamante - Well the Badgers socked it to the Hanford Bullpups in a first round upset, plus they are a strong finish playoff team, why not a big upset? In order to succeed, the Badgers will have to contain QB Tanner Sneed.

Division III -
More byes in the first round then you'd hear at a crowded train station, Washington Union has a date with the powerful crew from Garces, but after knocking off a good Delano team in the first round, the Eben Feathers Panthers believe they can fly. Garces is pretty dog gone tough though. Kerman vs Golden Valley....The Lions are going to have to have more than a loud roar to stay with Golden Valley. Most of the experts are thinking about a Golden Valley vs Garces final, but let's see what happens. Arvin is at Dinuba and Foothill is a Granite Hills and let's see who winds up in Boot Hill from these four teams.

Division IV:
Immanuel at Dos Palos - This will be a really good game. Dos Palos is tough to beat anytime, but especially in the playoffs. Immanuel is getting the same rep, especially in the playoffs. Even a thumb wrestling match between these two coaches would be great. Bill Sporz and Mike Sparks are two of the best. Dos Palos should advance, but they better not look past the Eagles, who just knocked off Corcoran by 28 points. CVC vs Taft - Taft too much for the ever improving Cavaliers. CVC squeaked by Coalinga by a point, but Taft is rugged and rested. Chowchilla at Shafter - Now here is another possibility for a real good high school football game. The Redskins looked good beating Parlier in the first round. Shafter is having a very good year, but this could be one of
the evenings upsets. Exeter at Kingsburg - This is a tossup....I will have to give Kingsburg a field goal anyway for home field advantage....

Division V:
Firebaugh at Liberty Madera Ranchos - Firebaugh has been getting better each week and Jose Yanez just went for 242 yards rushing in the Eagles first round big win over Coast and one would think that Yanez can't wait to get his hands on the football again. I'm going with the upset here as the Eagles take on number one Liberty. Strathmore at Curruthers - I have to think that even though Strathmore knocked off my pick of Fowler last week, that they will have a tougher time with Caruthers. This tournament is good for Keith Delk to show his stuff (he got 168 against the Redcats), but the Blue Raiders of Tom Casanova are on a roll themselves.

Lots of good games this week and we get down to the nitty gritty of the playoffs. Hope your team wins. Our TV game this week is either going to be Sanger at Clovis West or Central at Clovis East. Check your local listings.

Chris Terrence