MCCURLEY’S LEGS, NOT ARM, SPARK WU WIN OVER RANCHOS

The Panthers win in a non-conventional fashion to gut out a 14-6 victory over Liberty-Madera Ranchos.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Senior Writer:

Washington Union quarterback Adam McCurley is known for using his arm to destroy opposing defenses, but it was his legs that created problems for the Hawks in Easton.

“We definitely didn’t have our ‘A-game’ tonight,” said Panthers’ coach Jeff Freitas. “We really struggled on offense and their defense gave us some trouble all night. We had a lot of penalties and pour execution, which allowed them to stay in the game.”

The Panthers didn’t waste time on their first series; seven plays, three first downs, and a 36-yard touchdown pass to receiver Donald Phelps with 8:49 remaining in the first quarter. Panthers took the lead 7-0.

The Hawks used their hurry-offense repeatedly to catch the Panthers off guard with a constant dose of the running game. Running backs Dylan Ferreira and Josh Garza rushed for 108 and 91 yards respectively. The problem would be converting on third and manageable downs in the red zone. With the Panthers offensive line averaging 6’ 3” in height, pretty much forced the Hawks into being one-dimensional and made it highly unlikely for 5’ 10” quarterback Kyle Melvin to complete a high percentage of passes going only 6-12 for 80-yards.

“We played hard,” says Hawks’ quarterback Kyle Melvin. “We got down in the red zone four times and we couldn’t capitalize on it. This is one the toughest teams in the valley, so we feel pretty good about ourselves.”

The Hawks’ defense would keep them in the game. McCurley, who was California’s player of the week in week 5, was hounded all night by defensive end Ben Cowger. Cowger was double-teamed all evening, but he single-handedly kept McCurley from getting comfortable in the pocket. McCurley was forced to either takeoff or throw some rushed passes that were off the mark. McCurley ended up going 17-34 for 218-yards while converting key first downs using his legs.

“I wasn’t expecting their defensive line to be that good,” says McCurley. “Their defensive end (Cowger) is a legitimate D-1 defensive end.”

“We came out a little slow,” says offensive line coach Max Zuniga. “That Cowger kid put a lot of pressure on our line, which forced us to roll out and run, McCurley did a nice job of running though.”

The game would remain 7-0 Panthers until the Hawks second series of the second half. The Hawks would convert on an eleven-play, 80-yard drive that would produce a 8-yard touchdown slant route to Garza with 3.33 left in the third. The extra point would be no good making the score 7-6 Panthers.
Eager to put some points on the board after the Hawks just drove the length of the field, McCurley looks for receiver Josh Williams, but Garza at the defensive back position picks off his pass on the Hawks’ 20. The Hawks would then go three and out to end the quarter.

The Panthers first series of the fourth would show off the offensive juggernaut that many are accustomed to witnessing. The Panthers would go eight-plays highlighted by the McCurley to Williams tandem. McCurley finds Williams for a 37 and 12-yard reception, and finishes the drive with a Willaims 6-yard touchdown grab to open up the game 14-6. This would be all the scoring the Panthers would need on this night. The Hawks would try to air it out to get back in the game but Melvin would get picked off on two consecutive series, by Williams and Phelps respectively.

“It was a hard fought game,” says Hawks’ coach Mike Nolte. “McCurley has about three of four passes he likes to throw consistently, so we sat on those routes and I think we did a good job covering them for the most part. That team has beaten teams by a lot of points, tonight was only 14-6, so I think we got something to be proud of.”

“I think we fought hard tonight,” says Panthers running back Deshawn Johnson. “Defense kept shutting them down and the offense eventually came through to give us the win.”

Liberty of Madera (4-3, 2-2) will welcome in a struggling Sierra High (4-3, 0-3) ball club in hopes of getting back on the winning track in week 8. This is the Panthers (5-2, 3-0) fifth straight victory going into next week’s matchup on the road against the Redskins of Chowchilla (4-3, 2-1).

WEEK SEVEN SCOREBOARD:

Lemoore 12 Mt Whitney 13 F/OT (Thurs)
Porterville 21 Tulare Union 56 (Thurs)
Sanger 21 Edison 19 (Thurs)
Alpaugh 0 Lighthouse Christian 46
Atwater 42 Pitman 14
Bakersfield Christian 12 Tehachapi 40
Buhach Colony 79 Turlock 56
Bullard 52 Reedley 42
Centennial 14 West 16
Clovis East 7 Central 20
Clovis North 19 Hoover 37
Clovis West 14 Buchanan 38
Coast 6 Mendota 28
Corcoran 63 Riverdale 0
Delano 64 Granite Hills 6
Dinuba 42 Coalinga 21
Exeter 31 Selma 14
Firebaugh 46 Avenal 6
Foothill 14 Bakersfield 40
Fresno Christian 0 Fowler 29
Garces 67 East Bakersfield 41
Golden West 6 Redwood 56
Hanford West 9 El Diamante 56
Highland 10 Frontier 36
Hilmar 20 Central Catholic 48
Kennedy 14 Mission Oak 47
Kings Christian 9 Farmersville 36
Kingsburg 49 Central Valley Christian 7
Laton 6 Orange Cove 56
Liberty-Bakersfield 34 Golden Valley-Bakersfield 0
Liberty-Madera Ranchos 6 Washington Union 14
Lighthouse Academy 0 Clovis Christian 82
Livingston 39 Orestimba 14
Madera 12 Clovis 49
Mariposa 0 Le Grand 14
McLane 14 Fresno 27
Memorial 28 Madera South 0
Merced 55 Golden Valley-Merced 20
Mira Monte 28 Independence 27
Mission Prep 30 McFarland 7
Monache 27 Chavez 46
North 26 South 28
Parlier 9 Caruthers 45
Patterson 35 Gustine 7
Shafter 23 Arvin 19
Sierra 0 Chowchilla 35
Stockdale 41 Ridgeview 7
Strathmore 20 Lindsay 25
Sunnyside 14 Roosevelt 13
Taft 42 Wasco 0
Tulare Western 8 Hanford 35
Turlock Christian 42 Delhi 12
Woodlake 37 Orosi 0
Yosemite 30 Kerman 13

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VETERAN KNIGHTS THUMP YOUNG BRONCOS

Bullard hands young Clovis North its worst loss of the season, 42-0.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Senior Writer:

After the Clovis North Broncos suffered their first loss in school history to Central in week zero, the Broncos went on to win four in a row while averaging a whopping 51 points per game.

Then it was time to play Bullard.

You couldn’t tell this was the same Broncos team Friday night at Chukchansi Park as both teams opened up league play with an impressive 42-0 win by the Knights.

“We were so sloppy in the first quarter but I’m happy with the shutout,” said Bullard’s head coach Don Arax. “Those kids on the other side can really fly around, we’re just a year older than those kids.”

Bullard displayed their versatility and veteran leadership throughout the contest. They ran the ball at will with the thunder and lightning duo of Demetrius Warren and Jordan Jones. Quarterback Kerr Taubler passed for 239 yards, repeatedly lobbing the ball up to his main target Jajuan Hammond for jaw dropping grabs on his way to 109 receiving yards, and the defense did their part with four takeaways.

“We got beat pretty soundly by a very good team,” says Broncos head coach Tim Simons. “I thought my kids battled and they didn’t give up. We’ve got some heart on this football team but we made too many errors. They’re one of the best teams in this valley if not the best. We got decisively beat but I was pleased with the courage of my kids.”

The game started bad for the Broncos from the outset, as Bullard went the length of the field on a two-minute 80-yard play drive, highlighted by 61-yard reception by Hammond, followed by a two-yard touchdown run off a Taubler quarterback keeper.

The Broncos first possession looked as if they would give the Knights a game, gaining momentum and confidence while collecting two first downs during their first three snaps. The fourth snap would be a momentum dagger. Quarterback Chris Mariscal would be stripped of the ball by linebacker Daniel Snelling, giving the Knights the ball at the Broncos’ 45.

“They’re going to be very good,” says Taubler. “I’m predicting North to win the division three valley championship behind Alec Mechikoff, he’s a great runner.”

One play is all it took the Knights to reach the end zone. Warren broke tackle after tackle before breaking through the secondary and sprinting towards a 45-yard touchdown run, building a 14-0 Knights’ lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter.

The closest the Broncos would come to scoring would be with a minute left in the quarter. A bobbled exchange between Taubler and Jones would be picked up 30-yards from the Broncos’ end zone by defensive back Justin Gallegos. Gallegos had a clear path to the house with no one within 15-yards of him, but he would drop the ball at the 1-yard line assuming he had crossed the cones, but didn’t. Bullard would race to the one-yard line to regain possession, leaving the Broncos’ crowd in disbelief.

The Knights would finish the first half off adding another 14 points in the second quarter off a 10-yard touchdown catch by tailback Caleb Justice and a 5-yard touchdown punch in by Jones, his second of the game. Bullard led 28-0 at halftime.

“The game didn’t go the way I planned,” said Mechikoff,who rushed for 117 yards on 17 carries. “Bullard’s defense is very strong but we just got to stay together, fix our mistakes, and avoid our weaknesses.”

The third quarter would only provide a series each for both offenses, as each tried to establish their running game. However, Bullard ended up scoring on their lone series on a 72-yard 12-play drive. Jones rushed for his third touchdown from 4-yards out making it 35-0 with 36 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Knights would add to their margin in the fourth quarter on their first series; producing a three-play, 70-yard drive culminated by a 17-yard touchdown grab by Hammond, finalizing the score at 42-0.

“I thought we played well defensively but you have to give North credit,” says D-line coach Yosef Fares. “They’re going to be something to mess with next year. They’re very well coached, they get off the ball well up front ,and to be an all junior team, they’re one the best all junior teams I’ve ever seen.”

The Broncos (4-2) will face a tough and rugged Hoover Patriots (5-1) squad at Sunnyside in week seven. The Patriots defense is holding opponents to 9.3 points per game. Bullard (6-0) will go on the road to face the Reedley Pirates (5-1). The Pirates are coming off a 46-0 pounding by the Edison Tigers (4-2).

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WEEK 6 SCOREBOARD

The complete high school football scoreboard from week six. Our VSP Game of the Week featuring Bullard and Clovis North will be up on the site soon!

Arvin 6 Taft 65
Avenal 8 Coast 24
Bakersfield 42 Garces 16
Buchanan 54 Madera 21
Central 24 Clovis West 3
Central Catholic 44 Gustine 0
Central Valley Christian 21 Chowchilla 20
Clovis 0 Clovis East 31
Clovis North 0 Bullard 42
Delano 14 Porterville 23
Dos Palos 13 Kerman 22
East Bakersfield 48 Foothill 42
Edison 46 Reedley 0
El Diamante 30 Lemoore 14
Farmersville 6 Orange Cove 3
Fowler 21 Parlier 19
Fresno 6 Memorial 48
Golden Valley-Bakersfield 28 Highland 13
Granite Hills 0 Chavez 49
Hanford 26 Golden West 6
Hilmar 31 Livingston 14
Hoover 34 Sanger 18
Immanuel 17 Exeter 26
Kings Christian 12 McFarland 39
Kingsburg 14 Dinuba 0
Le Grand 40 Denair 7
Lindsay 21 Caruthers 28
Los Banos 49 Golden Valley-Merced 12
Madera South 6 Sunnyside 15
Merced 33 Buhach Colony 30
Mira Monte 36 Kennedy 6
Mission Oak 22 Independence 50
Mt. Whitney 41 Hanford West 26
Orosi 0 Corcoran 39
Redwood 19 Tulare Union 50
Ridgeview 7 Frontier 27
Riverdale 15 Fresno Christian 19
Roosevelt 12 McLane 3
Selma 34 Coalinga 28
Sierra 7 Washington Union 49
South 6 Centennial 48
Stockdale 17 Liberty-Bakersfield 3
Strathmore 28 Woodlake 20
Tehachapi 28 Shafter 0
Tranquillity 27 Firebaugh 7
Tulare Western 7 Monache 24
Wasco 34 Bakersfield Christian 6
Waterford 50 Delhi 14
West 38 North 18
Yosemite 10 Liberty-Madera Ranchos 20
Atwater xx Johnson-Sacramento xx (Sat)
Clovis Christian xx Alpaugh xx (Sat)
Lighthouse Academy xx Visalia Christian xx (Sat)
Lighthouse Christian xx Anchorpoint Christian xx (Sat)
Riverdale Christian xx Faith Christian xx (Sat)

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BUCHANAN’S GOAL-LINE STAND CLIPS UPSET-MINDED MEMORIAL

The Bears’ defense comes through for the second week in a row to remain undefeated.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Senior Writer:

It didn’t look good early for the Buchanan Bears. Head coach Mike Vogt benched starting quarterback Lance Orender for throwing three first half interceptions, while the Panthers took and early 14-0 lead.

But they aren’t one of the top teams in the valley for nothing.

The Bears (5-0) put the first blemish on San Joaquin Memorial’s record (4-1) in a thrilling 28-21 come from behind win at Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday night led by Orender, who returned in the second half to lead the way, and a goal-line stand by their defense to cap off a thrilling finish in one of the games of the year so far.

Buchanan struggled often early on, with their passing game out of sync for the second consecutive game after tossing 514 passing yards against Bakersfield two weeks ago. Orender’s three interceptions all happened in the first quarter, one on their first play from scrimmage by defensive back Wesley Miller, the second by lineman Grant Stanley on the Bears second series, giving the Panthers good field position at the Bears’ 12. The Panthers would use three plays, eventually punching in a 1-yard touchdown run by Jose Jolly for a 70 Panthers advantage.

The Bears next series would result in Orender keying in on receiver Jon Andreasen, only to be intercepted for the third time by Miller, his second of the game.

“San Joaquin Memorial is too good a team to turn the ball over like that,” says Buchanan head coach Mike Vogt. “Memorial really doesn’t have that many players and they battled us. It’s one of those deals where I feel like you need to have some games like this early to make us pay attention to detail and ball security.”

On Memorial’s next series, they would drive the ball 60 yards on 10 plays to the Bears’ eight yard-line. Quarterback Bryant Cummings tossed up a jump ball for receiver Tanner Chuhlantseff, but was plucked out the air in the end zone by Jordan Luplow, returning it to their own 9 with 8:13 left in the second quarter.

Memorial would receive the ball back at their 49 after a Buchanan punt. A 28-yard run by fullback David Garcia set-up a three-yard play action touchdown reception to tight end John Savage, increasing the Memorial lead to 14-0.

Buchanan finally found their offensive rhythm on the next possession. Led by backup quarterback Taylor Genuser, Buchanan went the length of the field with four first downs and a couple of pass interference calls in the red zone, eventually trimming the lead in half after a five-yard touchdown reception to Jake East with no time left in the half.

In the second half, the Bears wasted little time finding the end zone. With Genuser still in at quarterback, they shaved 3:30 off the clock on an eight-play drive, highlighted by East’s 17-yard crossing route grab and a Nigel Simmons seven-yard touchdown run, tying it at 14 apiece with 8:30 left in the third quarter.

Buchanan’s defense got a three and out on Memorial’s next possession, leading to a punt that gave the Bears the ball at the Panthers’ 43. It took only two plays; Genuser to Austin Kemp for a 40-yard reception and a three-yard run by Simmons up the middle. Buchanan took the lead for the first time in the game 21-14 with 6:38 left in the third quarter.

Memorial would eventually tie the game at 21 two minutes into the fourth quarter off of a seven-play drive, ending with a three-yard touchdown for Garcia. After stopping the Bears on their next possession, Cummings was stripped by linebacker Christian Parra and recovered by defensive tackle Josh Banks at the Panthers own 31. With Orender back in at quarterback, three plays is all it took the Bears to recapture the lead, capped by a 17-yard touchdown catch to Seth Moranda with 4:51 left on the clock.

Memorial had one last drive in them. They used their two-minute drill to race up the field to get to the Bears two-yard line. On 3rd and goal with 45 seconds left, Garcia tried to punch it in to no avail. With a no-huddle offense implemented on 4th and goal at the two, Garcia still could not gain any ground as the Bears’ defensive front completed a goal-line stand to preserve the victory.

“I’m sure happy that our defense is up to the task these last two weeks, because without some good plays on defense, we wouldn’t be undefeated,” says Vogt.

“It was a tough and competitive game,” said Memorial head coach Anthony Goston. “We knew we had a good shot. We’ve been dealing with things all week with injuries and the flu but our kids came out here and competed. I’m proud of my kids, we’ll respond next week and get better and learn from this.”

“We played smart and did what we normally do but unfortunately we came up short,” says Cummings. “I could have thrown more accurately, receivers could have helped out more, and the line could have protected better but they (Buchanan) came out with heart, executed and got the job done.”

The Panthers (4-1) go home for some good home cooking, as a winless Fresno High team stops by for a visit in week six. The Bears (5-0) open up TRAC play on the road against Madera (4-1).

“Our team played great,” Buchanan’s defensive tackle Kyle Papendorf said. “Our defense stepped up and our offense eventually came around. Our defense made a big stand down there at the two, the last minute of the game. We are a balanced group. You can’t just say we’re just an offensive team now. You need a offensive and defensive minded team to win games and I think we have that.”

WEEK FIVE SCOREBOARD:

Mendota 0 Roosevelt 28 (Thurs)
Mira Monte-Bakersfield 39 Mission Oak 7 (Thurs)
Wasco @ McLane WASCO FORFEITS (Thurs)
Argonaut 14 Hilmar 20
Bakersfield 22 Centennial 7
Buhach Colony 36 Atwater 28
Central Valley Christian 17 Immanuel 35
Chavez 0 Tulare Western 7
Chowchilla 13 Kerman 20
Clovis West 28 Edison 14
Coalinga 0 Kingsburg 62
Coast 6 Farmersville 42
Delhi 0 Livingston 43
El Diamante 21 Paso Robles 18
Exeter 7 Sierra 14
Fowler 14 Corcoran 22
Frontier 42 West 7
Garces 62 Highland 21
Golden Valley-Bakersfield 30 East Bakersfield 40
Golden West 27 Mt. Whitney 40
Hanford West 14 Hanford 38
Hoover 28 Sunnyside 8
Independence 0 Clovis North 63
Kings Christian 16 Avenal 24
Laton 6 Caruthers 49
Le Grand 37 Riverbank 0
Liberty-Bakersfield 24 Foothill 0
Liberty-Madera Ranchos 14 Dos Palos 21
Lighthouse Christian 28 Clovis Christian 55
Lindsay 35 McFarland 0
Mariposa 6 Summerville 34
Memorial 21 Buchanan 28
Merced 6 Los Banos 3
Monache 12 Delano 33
Orange Cove 50 Orosi 6
Parlier 47 Firebaugh 22
Porterville 6 Taft 28
Redwood 27 Lemoore 21
Reedley 49 Fresno 24
Ridgeview 35 North 7
Rosamond 6 Tehachapi 32
Selma 13 Dinuba 35
Stockdale 63 South 20
Strathmore 55 Riverdale 7
Tranquillity 32 Fresno Christian 29
Tulare Union 69 Granite Hills 0
Turlock 8 Golden Valley-Merced 53
Village Christian-Sun Valley 35 Bakersfield Christian 14
Washington Union 30 Yosemite 20
Waterford 21 Gustine 7
Visalia Christian 0 Riverdale Christian 61 (Sat)

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DEFENSE, TURNOVERS ROCKET BUCHANAN TO 4-0 START

The Bears clamp down on Edison in a convincing 22-12 win.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Senior Writer:

Some expected a points fest. Others assumed Edison would run the ball consistently to keep Buchanan’s offense off the field.

Neither happened, which was a-ok for the red hot Buchanan Bears, who improves to 4-0 with a 22-12 win over Edison at Sunnyside Stadium Friday night.

Edison’s quarterback Max Schuh, who completed 24 of his 46 passes for 275 yards, came out slinging the ball on the Tigers’ first four possessions, connecting only on one 12-yard catch by Shaquille Moseley before punting. That set the tone for a gunslinging matchup that favored Buchanan.

The Bears defensive front kept persistent pressure on Schuh and Edison’s running game throughout, holding leading rusher Dewayne Scott to just 26 yards on 13 carries. That allowed the Bears defensive backs to anticipate quick routes by the Tigers’ receivers.

“They were faster than any other team we’ve played,” said Buchanan defensive back Jordan Luplow. “We’ve been working all week to try and match their speed and tonight was a good matchup.”

A stellar defensive performance on both sides kept the game scoreless into the second quarter. Buchanan received good field position on a punt at Edison’s 26. The Bears used just four plays, highlighted by a 12-yard run from Nigel Simmons, which set up a 31-yard field goal by Luplow putting Buchanan up 3-0.

After the Tigers went three and out on their next possession, the Bears received the ball at the Tigers’ 30 after an Edison face mask penalty. The Bears capitalized on their second play from scrimmage with quarterback Lance Orender, who finished a quiet 12 for 28 and 141 yards. Orender found Shota Runge for a 29-yard touchdown reception with 5:40 left in the second quarter for a 9-0 lead.

The Tigers started to move the ball successfully on their next series, converting two first downs consecutively; Schuh to Tevin McDonald for a 10-yard reception and Dewayne Scott’s 10-yard run. The next play would be a deep out intended for receiver Vante Johnson, but it was picked off by Luplow to end Edison’s best drive up to that point.

Edison’s next series did not get any better. A pass on third down was bobbled by running back Dasheon Frierson, which left the ball in the air just long enough for linebacker Todd Nagamine to collect on Edison’s own 35. That was Schuh’s second interception of the quarter.

The Bears would then go on a six play drive. Orender found receiver Jake East for a 15-yard slant, culminated by Simmons’ 4-yard punch in tp increase the Bears lead 15-0 with 54 seconds remaining in the half.

The Tigers received the ball at their 24, trying desperately to put up points before the half. Schuh aired it out for a 20-yard reception to Jeremy Williams, but suffered his third interception of the half on a hail mary that was plucked out of the air by safety Tanner Barnes.

The third quarter would be a defensive slugfest. Edison’s defensive line combination of Rykeem Yates and Wesley Flowers were constantly in Orender’s tunnel vision, helping the Tigers hold Buchanan to three and outs in all three of their 3rd quarter series.

“It was tough,” said Orender. “Edison plays physical. Their defensive linemen and linebackers are so fast and they know how to get into the backfield. They blitzed a lot and brought pressure which made it very difficult to get good passes off.”

The Tigers would escape the 3rd quarter with no more damage done, but the offense still wasn’t clicking. Their first series for Edison in the 4th quarter resulted in an 11-play drive that resulted in a dropped pass in the end zone by Johnson on 4th and 13. Their next series would produce a 9-play drive highlighted by a 13-yard reception to McDonald on 4th and 6, leading to a 18-yard touchdown reception by Deontay Greenberry with 5:59 left in the 4th, trimming the Buchanan lead to 15-6.

Buchanan would answer on their next possession by shaving off four minutes of fourth quarter clock on eight plays. Simmons took it in from seven yards out, his second score of the evening. The Bears took a commanding lead 22-6 with 1:48 left. Edison would go 70 yards on eight plays for a cosmetic touchdown. Schuh found Tevin McDonald on a six yard slant with one second left, ending the scoring.

“I’m pleased with the way our defense played tonight,” said Buchanan head coach Mike Vogt. “Our defense did a good job of putting pressure on the quarterback and allowing our offense to have good field position throughout the game.”

“Defensively, I was proud of what we accomplished,” Edison head coach Tim McDonald said. “We held those guys pretty much in check. We have to put more points on the board. Usually, 22 points doesn’t beat us. We have to fix some things offensively. We have enough talent to move the ball, and we just didn’t get it done today.”

The Bears (4-0) proved to the Valley that they are well tested, defeating top five teams Bakersfield and Edison. They will go on the road to face yet another undefeated team in San Joaquin Memorial (4-0) in week five.

The Tigers (3-1) will host Clovis West (1-3) next week in hopes of rejuvenating their offense.

“There’s definitely going to be some changes that will have to be made as captains of the team to make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” said Yates.

WEEK FOUR SCOREBOARD:
Mission Oak 7 Clovis North 61 (Thurs)
Alpaugh 44 Faith Christian 49
Arvin 0 Burroughs-Ridgecrest 7
Avenal 22 Laton 51
Bakersfield 20 Liberty-Bakersfield 27
Buchanan 22 Edison 12
Buhach Colony 6 Pitman 35
Bullard 28 Clovis West 21
Caruthers 41 Firebaugh 26
Centennial 20 Stockdale 49
Chavez 0 Tulare Union 58
Chowchilla 30 Yosemite 22
Clovis 21 Sanger 12
Coalinga 15 Central Valley Christian 18
Corcoran 28 Wasco 35
Davis-Modesto 0 Clovis East 42
Dinuba 17 Exeter 21
Dos Palos 27 Sierra 10
East Bakersfield 20 Highland 0
El Diamante 41 Mt Whitney 20
Elliot Christian 8 Stone Ridge 14
Fresno Christian 40 Kings Christian 6
Garces 49 Golden Valley-Bakersfield 0
Golden Valley (Merced) 6 Atwater 56
Golden West 22 Delano 36
Granite Hills 14 Monache 48
Gustine 28 Turlock Christian 42
Hanford 21 Redwood 28
Hilmar 21 Calaveras 14
Hoover 12 Memorial 15
Immanuel 14 Kingsburg 63
Kerman 0 Liberty-Madera Ranchos 10
Lindsay 21 Fowler 22
Livingston 31 Mariposa 7
Lemoore 41 Hanford West 20
Los Banos 28 Turlock 12
Madera 14 Madera South 13
McFarland 31 Coast 7
McLane 6 Reedley 34
Mendota 26 Parlier 16
Merced 0 Del Oro (Loomis) 31
Mission Prep 13 Linfield Christian-Temecula 32
North 0 Frontier 40
Orestimba 34 Delhi 20
Orosi 6 Farmersville 37
Riverdale 20 Tranquillity 27
Shafter 7 Woodlake 26
South 48 Foothill 28
Strathmore 24 Orange Cove 28
Summerville 18 Le Grand 7
Sunnyside 7 Central 73
Tulare Western 11 Porterville 27
Visalia Christian 8 Lighthouse Christian 49
Washington Union 54 Selma 34
West 42 Ridgeview 35

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REDSKINS FOR REAL, CRUSH PIONEERS

Tulare Union dominates Mt. Whitney 69-33 to improve to 3-0.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Contributing Writer:

Defending Division II champion Tulare Union put on a highlight reel at the expense of the Mt. Whitney Pioneers 69-33 at Visalia’s Mineral King Bowl. The dynamic duo of super sophomore Xavier Stephens
(17 rushes for 289 yards and six touchdowns) and 6′4″ receiver/defensive back Marquess Wilson’s jaw-dropping reception seminar were thorns in the Pioneers’ side all night.

“We played hard but we made a lot of mistakes,” said Pioneers’ coach Justin Fowler. “At times we didn’t keep our composure and I think it cost us. When you play a great football team like Tulare, when you make mistakes, they’re amplified. When you play them you have to play playoff caliber football.”

Former Mt. Whitney defensive back Trevor Jones, now the starting quarterback for Tulare Union, made his mark on the game also. Jones showed that he could run a contending Valley Championship club, going 11-for-14 for 225 yards and rushing for two touchdowns of his own.

A game of two offensive-minded teams didn’t come short of expectations. Mt. Whitney started the game off with a 13-play, 75 yard touchdown drive, capped off by Shannen Gonzales-Chang’s 2-yard touchdown run.

Mt. Whitney’s problem was on defense. The Redskins ended up going on a 27-0 run in a ten minute span, highlighted by a couple of touchdowns from Stephens from 52 and 14 yards out respectively, and two and one yard rushing touchdowns by Jones to give Tulare Union a 27-6 lead.

The Pioneers would answer back with a seven play drive that included a 14-yard reception by running back Chris Smith on 4th and 3 that set up a 25-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Tanner Mendonca to Iran Munoz, trimming the lead to 27-13. The Redskins matched that with their own big play ability, utilizing playmakers Stephens and Jones to go the length of the field on three plays: a 62-yard run by Stephens, 10-yard play-action run by Jones, and a 14-yard touchdown run by Stephens, his third of the game.

Mt. Whitney’s next possession resulted in a Mendonca interception on second down intended for Smith, snatched out of the air by Wilson instead. The Redskins took over at the Pioneers’ 44. Six plays later, Stephens rushed in for his fourth touchdown, this one from 14 yards, increasing the Tulare Union lead to 41-13 at the half.

An onside kick attempted by the Pioneers to start the second half was unsuccessful, giving the Redskins good field position at the Pioneers’ own 49. The first play of the second half resulted in Stephens going up the middle untouched for a 49-yard touchdown, his fifth of the night, increasing the Redskins lead to 48-13.

The Pioneers would go on a 14-0 run with a pair of touchdown receptions from Smith (14 and 30 yards), narrowing the gap to 48-27. That run would not last long, as the Redskins’ next possession would result in a 75-yard touchdown reception to receiver Edward Dilihunt to increase the lead to 55-27, putting an end to any Pioneers comeback.

“They’ve got a really good offense,” Redskins’ head coach Darren Bennett said. “That’s the most points we’ve given up in two years. They played hard, we played hard. We just came up with the victory tonight.”

The 4th quarter would give Stephens his 6th touchdown of the game with eight minutes left before being pulled.

“They’re a very good team with a lot of athletes,” said Mendonca. “In order to beat a team like that, you’re going to have to play your ‘A’ game every single play and not let off at all. I’m impressed with our ability to come back in games, but we need to stop having roller-coaster rides. We need to stay consistent throughout the whole game. That’s what we really need to work on. If we can do that, we can become a very good football team.”

Most people say that this will be the last true test for the ‘Skins (3-0) before the playoffs. They will face Chavez of Delano in week four. The Pioneers (2-1) look to get back on the winning track in their first league game against an ElDiamante team that pounded them 54-13 last season.

WEEK 3 SCOREBOARD:
Avenal 0 Strathmore 71
Bakersfield 41 Buchanan 56
Bakersfield Christian 2 Maranatha (Pasadena) 28
Beyer 31 Atwater 54
Buhach Colony 0 Escalon 37
Burroughs (Ridgecrest) 34 Tehachapi 42
Centennial (Bakersfield) 56 East Bakersfield 13
Central 41 El Diamante 27
Central Valley 14 Hilmar 35
Clovis East 12 Bullard 52
Clovis West 23 Centennial (Corona) 41
Coalinga 21 Taft 34
Corcoran 13 Kingsburg 35
Delano 49 Hanford West 7
Delhi 6 Riverbank 51
Dinuba 41 Granite Hills 0
Edison 34 Merced 3
Foothill 31 Kennedy (Delano) 0
Fresno 7 Monache 28
Frontier 20 Exeter 14
Golden Valley (Bakersfield) 7 Chavez 6
Golden West 10 Reedley 47
Hanford 17 Madera 24
Hoover 31 Tulare Western 0
Immanuel 41 Yosemite 42
Independence (Bakersfield) 13 Highland 28
Johansen 44 Golden Valley (Merced) 30
Laton 32 Fresno Christian 41
Le Grand 14 Livingston 27
Liberty (Madera Ranchos) 7 Fowler 27
Los Banos 7 St. Mary’s 39
Madera South 13 Ridgeview 31
Mariposa 46 Gustine 21
McLane 7 Kerman 34
Mendota 9 Orosi 13
Mira Monte (Bakersfield) 11 Shafter 32
Mission Prep 14 Coast 48
Modesto Christian 40 Chowchilla 20
Mojave (Las Vegas) 14 McFarland 20
Orange Cove 29 Parlier 36
Porterville 22 Central Valley Christian 20
Redwood 21 Atascadero 35
Riverdale 14 Firebaugh 38
Roosevelt 14 Tranquillity 6
Sanger 17 Lemoore 14
Sierra 37 Farmersville 12
South 59 Arvin 13
Stockdale 47 Clovis 22
Sunnyside 18 Washington Union 54
Tulare Union 69 Mt. Whitney 33
Wasco 21 Lindsay 36
West 0 Liberty (Bakersfield) 14
Woodlake 20 Caruthers 6

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TIGERS USE ALL NINE LIVES TO BEAT GRIZZLIES

Edison improves to 2-0 thanks to a gritty performance.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Contributing Writer:

A battle of two of the fastest teams in the valley squared off on artificial turf at Deran Koligian Stadium, resulting in a 25-17 Edison victory over Central. Last year’s contest between the two teams was a one-sided victory for the Tigers 70-17. Central narrowed the gap but still fell short.

The first quarter was a sluggish 12 minutes. The two teams used this time to feel each other out like a first round boxing match. There was conservative play calling on both sides; both coaches did not want to let the game get out of hand early.

“Central is a good football team,” says Edison’s Coach Tim McDonald. “We are not going to see anybody who can run like them next week. They got some athletes over there. They switched a few things up on us and they did a great job executing.”

Edison struck first early in the second quarter with a 13-yard touchdown pass by Max Schuh to Tevin McDonald on 4th and six, taking a 7-0 lead. On Edison’s next possession, receiver Kenny Travis fumbled the ball after a 12-yard catch, the Grizzlies recovered it on Edison’s 48. Four plays later, Grizzlies receiver Ernest Carter took a 10-yard slant and bolted 45-yards to the house to tie it at 7-7 with 6:34 in the second quarter.

Edison kept the pressure up by eating up four minutes off the clock on nine plays, producing a 50-yard reception from Ernest Carter and a 2-yard touchdown run from DeWayne Scott, recapturing the lead 13-7.

With 2:29 left in the half, the Grizzlies made a run thanks to speedster Brendon Bigelow. Bigelow returned a kickoff 45-yards and was tackled at Edison’s own 45. Seven plays later, Central’s Michael Baker, who completed 11 of 22 passes for 180 yards, connected with receiver Aaron Cruz for an 11-yard touchdown reception taking the lead at half 14-13.

“They’re fast,” says Edison’s Dewayne Scott who rushed for 110 yards. “Our guys just had to stay home and read their keys and we’ll get them.”

Central had the home crowd loud and excited and the visiting side mute in disbelief to start the second half. Central came out with a new-found confidence, shaving five minutes off the clock with 12 plays, but had to settle for a field goal by Matthew Lea, pushing the lead up 17-13.

Edison grinded its way slowly into the game by chipping ten minutes off the clock on 18 plays, resulting in a 1-yard touchdown by Scott to recapture the lead at 19-17. Two Grizzlies penalties gave the Tigers two first downs extending their drive.

Central’s next posession ended with a crucial fumble by receiver Kameron Brooks on their third play, recovered by Edison’s lineman Wesley Flowers at Central’s own 26. Two plays later Schuh connected McDonald for a 17-yard touchdown making it 25-17. It was McDonald’s second touchdown of the game.

With 6:04 left in regulation, the Tigers defense made a stand and forced the Grizzlies to punt in hopes of their defense giving them another offensive opportunity.

It never happened. The Grizzlies twice had the Tigers at 3rd down, but the Tigers converted 3rd-and-6 and 3rd-and-5 to run the clock out for the narrow win.

“It was a good game,” says Grizzlies’ coach Casey Quinn. “We feel like we blew another opportunity. I can see it in our kids faces, we were right there, we just need to play smart football for four quarters.”

“It’s a win,” says Edison’s Coach Tim McDonald. “We wanted to slow the game down a little bit, that’s something we rarely do, we’re used to coaching against that kind of game plan. We have some football players who made plays at critical times and we found a way to win the football game.”

In week three, Central looks to break their two game losing streak on the road against El Diamante of Visalia. Edison also goes on the road to face the Bears of Merced High, hoping that the bye-week rust is now behind them.

“We made mental mistakes that could have changed the game and turned it around,” says Edison’s Tevin McDonald. “I see a lot of heart in our team and I’ve noticed we can fight, and when we’re down that means nothing. Hopefully that will carry over to our next game.”

WEEK TWO SCOREBOARD

Madera South 8 Hoover 29 (Thurs)
Reedley 13 Sunnyside 10 (Thurs)
Atwater 49 Johansen 14
Avenal 0 Mission Prep 58
Beyer 38 Buhach Colony 67
Buchanan 43 Redwood 21
Caruthers 28 Coast 0
Chavez 30 Madera 61
Chowchilla 14 Le Grand 7
Clovis 14 Bullard 48
Delano 14 North 13
Dos Palos 19 Los Banos 35
Edison 25 Central 17
El Diamante 50 Golden Valley-Bakersfield 20
Exeter 13 Taft 30
Farmersville 6 Woodlake 28
Foresthill 7 Delhi 0
Fowler 28 Sierra 35
Fresno 7 Clovis North 28
Fresno Christian 19 Strathmore 54
Frontier 43 Tehachapi 14
Garces 42 Arvin 13
Granite Hills 0 Roosevelt 41
Gustine 14 Denair 44
Hanford 30 Yosemite 35
Hanford West 12 Dinuba 22
Hughson 13 Hilmar 38
Jesuit 42 Golden Valley 28
Kennedy-Delano 13 McFarland 45
Kerman 14 Coalinga 0
Kingsburg 28 Washington Union 21
Kings Christian 18 Vacaville Christian 49
Lemoore 13 Tulare Union 35
Liberty-Bakersfield 6 Centennial 10
Mira Monte-Bakersfield 0 South 48
Mission Oak-Tulare 0 Corcoran 49
Mt Whitney 41 Monache 40
Napa 43 Merced 22
Orestimba 28 Mariposa 25
Parlier 0 Lindsay 63
Ridgeview 29 Foothill 3
Riverbank 8 Livingston 36
Riverdale 13 Mendota 18
Sanger 0 Clovis East 35
Selma 33 McLane 0
Shafter 7 Independence-Bakersfield 27
Stockdale 31 Bakersfield 32
Tranquillity 35 Laton 0
Tulare Western 20 Golden West 14
Wasco 34 Porterville 14
West 58 East Bakersfield 35
Central Valley Christian 28 Bakersfield Christian 19 (Sat)
Memorial 31 Christian Brothers-Sacramento 6 (Sat)

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VIKING QUEST

Two Kingsburg quarterbacks get Division-I offers.

By Andrew Marden
VSP Senior Writer:

KINGSBURG, Calif – It was the Elite 11 camp that did it for Tyler Bray.

“Tennessee started to talk to me,” said the Vikings’ 6-foot-6-inch quarterback, who had already given his verbal committment to San Diego State.

“They were one of the only teams that kinda recruited me out of this area besides Fresno State…I went down there and talked to their coaches, got a chance to probably start there. I liked it down there so I committed early.”

But that was before he was the most accurate quarterback at one of the nation’s most prestigious quarterback camps. Before scout.com listed Bray as a top-25 QB recruit.

Fellow quarterback London Lacy doesn’t have that same hype. But he too has a D-I home next year.

“There were a few other schools but it narrowed down to (UC) Davis,” said Lacy, who passed for 660 yards last year as Bray’s backup. “Sac State, Washington, Stanford was also in the mix.”

“The proudest moment of coaching, probably, was when we both got calls and heard about it,” said Kingsburg head football coach Dave Steele. “It’s an amazing thing for us, especially here in Kingsburg. The size we are, and to have these two quality kids… I’m very blessed I was able to be a part of their lives here the last four years.”

And the Vikings have benefitted from their football skills, despite falling short of the Division IV valley championship last year when both were juniors.

“I’d like to get one of those before I leave,” said Bray, who passed for 2,411 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2008 but failed to lead the Vikings past Chowchilla in the title game. (They lost 20-0).

“I’ve been with this group of guys ever since high school started, ” said Lacy. “I’m just going to enjoy my senior season. Just go out and win, you know?”

The Vikings (1-0) play at Washington Union (0-1) Friday in a showdown with fellow star signal caller Adam McCurley.

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PANTHERS RUN OVER YOSEMITE; AVENGE ‘08 LOSS

San Joaquin Memorial’s ground game does in the Badgers.

By Chris Haynes
VSP Contributing Writer:

A punishing San Joaquin Memorial ground attack was the key in the Panthers 41-17 rout of Yosemite Friday night in week one of the high school football season, avenging their 9-0 loss to the Badgers last year.

The taste of a goose egg from last year’s 9-0 Yosemite victory over the Panthers was still on the minds of some of the players, but the blowout win was the mouthwash.

The Panthers started slowly, but eventually established that they were going to be the physical team.

The huge push of Memorial’s offensive line paved the way for a total of 286 rushing yards.

“We knew that our line wouldn’t be as big as last years, but I think we’re better,” Panthers head coach Anthony Goston said. “They opened up some holes, our backs made some good reads and we have two of the best backs around.”

Memorial’s offensive line of Alex Martinez, Eric Pietrowski, Robert Garcia, Matt Cordosa and Grant Stanley catapulted the running game. Christian Garcia and Chris Brown rushed for 111 and 143 yards respectively.

Yosemite’s spread offense looked as if it was going to give the Panthers problems all night. Badgers’ Quarterback Jackson Glines displayed his Tim Tebow-ish attributes early on, using the play-action to set up his own running game. Glines connected with receiver Nicolulis Theophilus for quick outs, and eventually the Badgers scored first off of a two-yard rushing touchdown by Garrett Yoder. That was the easiest drive that the Badgers would see all night.

“On offense, we just wasn’t picking up the blitzes,” Glines said. “We’re young and inexperienced on both sides of the line, we just got to get some games under our belts and we’ll be kicking in the playoffs.”

Memorial quarterback Bryant Cummings answered back with a 6-yard touchdown pass to John Savage with a minute left in the first quarter, narrowing the gap to 7-6 with a missed field goal.

Panthers linebacker/receiver David Garcia picked off Glines for a 75-yard touchdown return a minute into the second quarter that put the Panthers up 13-7. John Ditomoso’s 33-yard field goal narrowed the gap to 13-10. Memorial’s Bryant Cummings then threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to David Garcia, extending the lead 20-10 at the half.

Brown started the scoring off in the second half with a 66-yard run up the middle and then cutting to the outside where he raced passed Yosemite’s third level defense to the end zone, making it 27-10.

The Panthers’ secondary came up with big plays throughout the game. Defensive backs Jose Jolly and James Huelskamp kept the end zone relatively free from any receiver visits. The only Yosemite receiver to cross the end zone came with two minutes left in the third quarter. Glines threw a bomb to receiver Detri Dunn. Dunn was double covered, the ball was deflected by Huelskamp and then bobbled by Dunn before he gathered it and took it in for 54 yards to make it 27-17.

“We don’t feel like there’s anyone in our league that can stop us,” says Jolly. “We’re that confident in our team because we have a lot of guys with heart, skill, and speed.”

The fourth quarter was all Panthers. Cummings threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Wesley Miller, and then defensive back Jon Andreasen sealed it with a 31-yard interception return to cap the scoring.

“We turned the ball over too much, we put ourselves in a pretty big hole,” Yosemite head coach Aaron Eames said. “That’s what inexperienced teams do. It is the first varsity game for seven or eight starters on each side, we held our own for a while but in the end, our inexperience proved to be too costly. They’re (Memorial) a good and physical team and they earned it tonight.”

After starting the game passing 1-10, Cummings finished 4-14 with 105 passing yards along with three touchdown passes. Glines ended up rushing for 83-yards off 13 carries, 13-25 with 142 passing yards and three interceptions.

“We had a good first drive, but they rallied right back and had a good one of their own,” Eames said. “That’s the sign of a really good team, when a team drives at you; you drive right back at them yourself. They got a veteran team and a very good team and that’s why they’re in division two and we’re in division three.”

Week two has Yosemite playing at home against the visiting Hanford Bullpups. Memorial goes on the road to face Christian Brothers of Sacramento.

WEEK ONE SCOREBOARD:

Mt Whitney 38 Tulare Western 28 (Thurs)
Avenal 0 Taft 70
Bret Harte 14, Livingston 10
Bullard 35 Atwater 12
Centennial 45 Redwood 20
Central Valley 44, Le Grand 8
Clovis 14 Atascadero 7
Clovis North 55 Mira Monte-Bakersfield 22
Clovis West 13 Servite-Anaheim 47
Coalinga 0 Chowchilla 52
Corcoran 30 Granite Hills 0
Exeter 34 Woodlake 6
Firebaugh 7 Fowler 61
Fresno 14 Madera 49
Fresno Christian 56, Stone Ridge Christian 0
Golden Valley 53, Downey 14
Gustine 12, Riverbank 6 (OT)
Hanford West 58 Mission Oak 0
Hilmar 58, Denair 17
Hoover 28 Lemoore 7
Kingsburg 44 Dos Palos 13
Kings Christian 12 Tranquility 58
Liberty-Madera Ranchos 41 Immanuel 18
Madera South 9 Kerman 20
McLane 12 Greenfield 32
Orosi 12 Parlier 45
Paso Robles 48 Central 28
Porterville 16 North 14
Reedley 14 Selma 12
Sierra 10 Central Valley Christian 9
Stone Ridge Christian 0 Fresno Christian 56
Sunnyside 14 Sanger 31
Tracy 27, Los Banos 24
Tulare Union 55 Golden West 0
Yosemite 17 Memorial 41
Paso Robles 55 Central 42
Sierra 10 Central Valley Christian 9
Stone Ridge Christian 0 Fresno Christian 56
Sunnyside 14 Sanger 31
Washington Union 20 Dinuba 21

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ROCKY TOP TYLER

Kingsburg quarterback Tyler Bray makes a verbal commitment to Tennessee and will play for former Bulldog Lane Kiffin.

By Dave Hooker
govolsxtra.com:

Tennessee hopes to have found its quarterback of the future with Tyler Bray, who confirmed his commitment Tuesday to play for the Vols.

The confirmation ended a frantic afternoon in which some recruiting Web sites reported Bray was committed while others reported he wasn’t.

The commitment is hardly a surprise. Bray raved to the News Sentinel on Sunday about his official visit to UT this past weekend, especially the atmosphere of Neyland Stadium as the Vols beat Western Kentucky 63-7.

“I just committed this morning to Tennessee,” Bray told Scout.com. “It feels great. I just love the coaching staff and they are great coaches. And the fans are crazy. They’re putting together a great recruiting class and they’ll play.”

The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder from Kingsburg (Calif.) High School was one of the fastest-rising quarterback prospects in the nation. He had been committed to San Diego State since July.

The commitment represents a major achievement for the Vols, who had been spurned by a handful of quarterbacks for the 2010 class.

The Vols first began recruiting Blake Bell from Wichita, Kan., before he committed to Oklahoma. UT then pursued Jake Heaps from Sammamish, Wash., and Andrew Hendrix from Cincinnati before they committed to BYU and Notre Dame, respectively.

UT recruited Barry Brunetti from Memphis heavily before he committed to West Virginia.

The Vols offered Chase Rettig from San Clemente, Calif., late only to see him commit to Boston College.

The Vols seemed to be in good shape with Jesse Scroggins from Lakewood, Calif., before he committed to Southern California, which made a late push to secure him.

Head coach Lane Kiffin certainly didn’t expect to miss out on so many quarterback prospects while he patiently evaluated a quarterback crop that most recruiting analysts say is sub-par.

Bray, who only had scholarship offers from San Diego State and UT, was ranked as the 23rd best quarterback in the nation by Scout and the sixth best pro-style quarterback in the nation by Rivals.

Bray’s ranking improved significantly when he performed well at camps this summer.

UT likely won’t end its quarterback recruiting with Bray. Scroggins could still be a possibility since USC freshman Matt Barkley was named the Trojans’ starter.

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