Clovis East and Clovis on a Collision Course but First Have to Go Through Bakersfield for Division I Valley Title Game

Chris Terrence

All year long, Valley high school football fans have been talking about the Tri River Athletic Conference and its top to bottom strength. In the preseason games, the TRAC was the lawn mower while the impressive list of opponents from all over, played the part of the grass for the tough central section machine. The non-league record was 26-4 as the teams got ready for what was going to be a year to remember in the storied history of Fresno area football. The top ranking at the Division 1 level changed hands a lot this year, and all the changes involved TRAC teams. Clovis, Clovis East, Madera, and Clovis were all number one at one time or another, and when the smoked cleared, it was the Golden Eagles of Clovis West who won the title. The Eagles finished the league with a 4-1 record, identical to Clovis East's record, but took the championship by virtue of the 24-21 victory they came up with over the Timberwolves a few weeks back.

Usually at KJEO-TV Sports, we like to televise CIF Playoff activity with games from various levels of the post-season games. This year, however, because of the excitement of the TRAC, it looks like all four of our games could involve Division 1 teams. So far, in televised playoffs, Clovis defeated Edison and Clovis East manhandled Central. Clovis then went down to Bakersfield and lost 21-14 to the Drillers, who now will come up to Lamonica Stadium to play the Timberwolves this week. Meanwhile, Sanger, who beat Buchanan in a squeaker in the first round, ran into a buzzsaw called Clovis West in the second round and now the Eagles will be playing the No. 5 seed Liberty of Bakersfield for the right to play in the Valley Championship game against the winner of the Clovis East vs Bakersfield game. We will be at Lamonica Stadium again for the clash of the Timberwolves and the defending Valley champion Drillers. Both games should be good and if it comes out that it's the Eagles vs the Timberwolves, it just might be one of the most fan favorite games played in this Valley in quite some time. Football fans from all over will pack the stadium wherever that game is played. Both schools have great teams, coaches, players, bands, and fans. But first, they have to get past those pesky Bakersfield teams. These next two Fridays are going to be huge. What a treat.

Notes:...It was bad news for sure as we got the word that Zak Hill, one of the most versatile and exciting players to watch play football these past couple of years, tore a quadriceps tendon in his left leg in the Sanger playoff game and had to have season ending surgery. That's a great loss for the Eagles and for fans as we have really enjoyed Zak's all round hustle while being an outstanding player both on the offense and the defense in the CW scheme of things. Zak has been recruited by many Division I schools. He will be back, but he will be missed in the these remaining games......In Div II, Yosemite made a nice run the playoffs before falling to #1 El-Diamante. Now, as a reward, the Miners must face West of Bakersfield and Ryan Matthews. Yikes!.....Matthews should finish this season with over 3000 yards rushing!!!! Huh? 3000? Yep, 3000. Yikes......Ryan had 2840 during the regular season.........In Div III it looks like there is another great finish a brewin' as Golden Valley and Garces are heading for a showdown..........in Div IV we were surprised by Central Valley Christian's shutout of Taft......Exeter is looking good as well, but then you got the Broncos of Dos Palos in the mix and after a shaky start, Mike Sparks boys are rolling again and that's trouble for everybody, but then again it could be another one of those great Chowchilla/Dos Palos games on the horizon......In Div V, Firebaugh has been a surprise and have eliminated #1 Liberty Madera-Ranchos and now take on Caruthers who beat Mendota and Strathmore to get to the big game vs the Eagles this week.......Have a good week and lets see what happens.....

Chris Terrence