By Gabe Camarillo
Week 1 was full of big wins, shattered records, and new varsity programs (Garza won AND scored on the opening kickoff, are you kidding me?). Here is where the ESPN Fresno Top 25 stands headed into Week 2:
1. Liberty (Bakersfield) 1-0
LW: 1
Liberty absorbed the first blow from visiting Spanish Springs of Sparks, NV; the Cougars struck with an early touchdown. Then, the Patriots countered with a one-two punch of Jalen Hankins and Kresean Kizzy to win their season opener running away.
Hankins scored two rushing touchdowns in the first half, and Kizzy sealed the 58-17 rout with two punt return touchdowns. The QB situation is still unclear – senior Cole O’Brien started the game and threw a touchdown, and junior Jace Nixon, son of head coach Bryan, also passed for a score.
Up next: vs. Ridgeview (0-1)
2. Central (Fresno) 1-0
LW: 2
Central remains at #2 following an all-around solid performance in 28-7 win at Edison of Stockton. Senior Dayton Tafoya passed for 210 yards and three touchdowns, and his top two targets thrived: Braylen Hall (5 rec, 91 yards, TD) and Ladanian Streets (3 rec, 47 yards, TD).
The Grizzlies’ defense nearly shut out the Vikings, who only scored in the game’s closing moments. Jabari King, Jaylon Jones, and Fresno State commit Imari Conley each grabbed an interception. It’ll be a battle of heavyweights at Koligian Stadium when San Joaquin Memorial comes in, the first of several early-season matchups that will redefine the Top 5.
Up next: vs. San Joaquin Memorial (1-0)
3. San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno) 1-0
LW: 3
Like Central, San Joaquin Memorial holds the same ranking due to sheer dominance in 34-0 win over former No. 7 Clovis North. The Panthers beat the Broncos at their own game – playing smashmouth football and controlling the airspace. Jayden Enriquez and Jordan Black intercepted passes.
Senior quarterback Carson Dean looked comfortable in his first game as varsity starter. He passed for over 200 yards and three touchdowns to Joe Dalena, Ramon Ruiz, and Tommy Nix. The WR room for the Panthers goes about five to six receivers deep. By routing a TRAC opponent, SJM sent a message to the Valley. A louder one can be made by avenging last year’s playoff loss.
Up next: at Central (1-0)
4. Buchanan (Clovis) 1-0
LW: 4
Buchanan impressed in many areas during its 56-3 romp over former No. 5 Bakersfield. The Bears do not rise from their preseason ranking because the teams above them all won by 20+ points. Dropping any of them could not be justified.
The Bears definitely looked good for the supposed #4 team in the Section. Fresno State commit Jayden Mandal threw four touchdown passes, and senior running back Michael Runnels embraced the full-time starting role. He scored rushing touchdowns from 70 and 42 yards out. It looks like Buchanan will not lose a step with Ross Wood as head coach.
Up next: at Escalon (1-0)
5. Clovis West (Fresno) 1-0
LW: 6
Clovis West only needed to run 36 plays to score 42 points against visiting Ridgeview at Lamonica Stadium. The Golden Eagles, as they did last year, hurt defenses through the air. Unofficially, junior Tyler Patrick threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, a 43-yard pass to Landon Wright and 45-yard completion to Jordan Pierro.
But “Air West” showed its teeth on the ground in 42-0 win. Senior Aidan Fortenberry rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. The Golden Eagles moved into the Top 5 courtesy of Bakersfield’s loss. The non-league schedule gets tougher with Turlock and Lemoore looming.
Up next: vs. Turlock (1-0)
6. Central Valley Christian (Visalia) 1-0
LW: 8
Central Valley Christian headed up Highway 99 and dismantled Ripon Christian, 42-14. The Cavaliers rested their starters midway through the third quarter while up by 42. Senior Max Bakker scored four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), and Zach Zwart, Chapman Dunn, and Brandt Munger all caught touchdowns.
CVC will get three-star running back Bryson Donelson eligible in a month, but Blake Gambini impressed in the role: 10 carries, 91 yards, and a touchdown, to go with a tackle for loss at linebacker. The Cavs move two spots due to losses by Bakersfield and Clovis North above them.
Up next: at Mt. Whitney (1-0)
7. Hanford 1-0
LW: 10
Hanford beat Bullard not just with speed but physicality. The Bullpups ran away in the second half and scored 20 unanswered points. The 41-22 score is slightly misleading as Bullard added a touchdown in the final minute. Senior Cayden Muir passed for 371 yards and three touchdowns.
The RB room looks stacked. Sophomore Albert Richardson rushed for 10 carries, 70 yards, and two touchdowns, and sophomore Kourdey Glass totaled 157 all-purpose yards (125 receiving, 32 rushing). Senior LB Brak Hill registered 10 tackles and a sack. An all-around performance from Hanford raised them above St. Joseph, which barely squeaked out a victory.
Up next: at Buhach Colony (1-0)
8. St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 1-0
LW: 9
St. Joseph survived on the road and beat Palos Verdes in the final moments, 19-16. Senior Darian Mensah led the way with his 206 passing yards and 63 rushing yards, including his game-winning nine-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds left.
But Mensah told the Santa Maria Times the Knights wouldn’t have won without their defense, which forced a goal-line stop in the fourth quarter. Carter Vargas sealed the game with an interception and scored a rushing touchdown as well. St. Joe’s played far from its best game and still won. Teams who do that are scary.
Up next: vs. Bakersfield Christian (1-0)
9. Kingsburg 1-0
LW: 13
Kingsburg jumped into the Top 10 for multiple reasons. Four teams lost ahead of them, and two teams dropped out of the Top 10. Most importantly, the Vikings proved they deserved the promotion in a 35-0 win over Paso Robles. Senior Ethan Winslow threw three touchdown passes to Caleb Irigoyen, Conner McFall, and Jack Rogers.
Opponents should watch out for do-it-all senior Trace Jackson. He rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown and snagged an interception. Ryan Martinez added a punt return touchdown, and Keynon Simpson also caught an interception in a defensive masterclass performance from Kingsburg. The Vikings’ D faces a stiff challenge next.
Up next: at Sunnyside (1-0)
10. Bakersfield Christian 1-0
LW: 18
Another beneficiary from losses in the Top 25 combined with their own impressive victory, Bakersfield Christian beat former No. 15 Mission Prep, 35-9, and vaulted into the Top 10 as a result. They have a chance to back up this Top 10 ranking if they beat No. 7 St. Joseph on the road.
The Eagles established the running game early. Nathan Perez and David Bonales shined as the one-two combo in the backfield. Perez scored three times, two rushing touchdowns and a 55-yard screen pass to the house. BCHS has something special in senior Jordan Delgado, who threw perfect strikes of 77 yards and 70 yards for touchdowns.
Up next: at St. Joseph (1-0)
11. Garces (Bakersfield) 0-1
LW: 11
Garces does not move up or down, because it was hard to glean anything from the Rams’ loss to a Top 5 team in the state. 5-star Los Alamitos QB Malachi Nelson racked up five touchdowns and 345 passing yards in the first half, a lot of which were yards after catch.
Whether that was elite speed from Los Alamitos or porous defense from Garces in the 41-0 loss is hard to tell. We’ll reserve judgment and move the Rams up/down after they face a similar opponent.
Up next: at Paraclete (1-0)
12. Lemoore 1-0
LW: 19
The most eye-catching halftime score last Friday came from Selma. Lemoore opened a 61-0 lead and won, 78-6. Talented senior Ty Chambers only attempted nine passes and still tossed two touchdowns. Preston Scott stole the show with five total touchdowns – one receiving, three punt returns, and one kick return. For good measure, Anthony Garcia added two rushing TD’s.
This is a sensational senior class for the Tigers, and they showed it Week 1. Their impressive victory moves them inside the Top 15, but now they get tested with three Top 25 opponents in three weeks – Washington Union, Clovis West, and Sanger.
Up next: at Washington Union (1-0)
13. Clovis North 0-1
LW: 7
Clovis North stubbed its toe against a very good San Joaquin Memorial team. Dean Scrivner started the first drive, and Mario Cosma quarterbacked most of the game. Both guys were thrown into the fire against one of the top defenses in the Section.
The Broncos dropped six spots following their season-opening loss, a key test to see where they stood among the Division-I elite. They will face prospective Division-II schools with Redwood, Central Valley Christian, and El Diamante next.
Up next: vs. Redwood (0-1) Thurs.
14. Bullard (Fresno) 0-1
LW: 12
Bullard matched up well with Hanford for one half, but the Knights’ tired legs couldn’t keep up with the high-speed Bullpups’ offense in the second half. Sophomore Josh Madrigal made his varsity debut and tossed a first quarter touchdown to senior tight end Kyle Hughes.
Bullard looks big defensively with Hughes and Elijah Eason coming off the edge. For the Knights, it comes down to bringing Madrigal along and whether the offense can keep up with other high-powered offenses. They have another one coming to Ratcliffe soon.
Up next: vs. Tulare Western (1-0)
15. Clovis 0-1
LW: 14
Freshman quarterback Deagan Rose and the Clovis Cougars faced Southern Section power Long Beach Poly, and the Jackrabbits left Lamonica with a 56-7 win. It’s hard to gauge how the Cougars will match up with fellow Central Section competition, but there were a few takeaways.
For one, Rose has potential. He threw his first varsity touchdown as he targeted four-star corner Daylen Austin. Senior Tovie Martin recorded a swatted pass, sack, and forced fumble. Clovis isn’t punished too much for losing to a Top 15 team in state, but they will need more production from their skill guys in the future.
Up next: at Sanger (1-0)
16. Bakersfield 0-1
LW: 5
The Drillers fell the furthest of any teams in the Top 25. Tybo Rogers did not play, but his absence alone did not account for the 53-point loss to Buchanan. We’ll see if Rogers returns in the home opener against Frontier, but the offensive line will need to elevate its game after quarterback Tye Monteiro was under siege for most of the night.
Up next: vs. Frontier (1-0)
17. Frontier (Bakersfield) 1-0
LW: 18
Frontier’s new quarterback looked sharp in a 35-13 win over North. Junior Malakhai Statler is a star in the making; he threw for 296 yards, four touchdowns, and averaged 23 yards per completion. He spread the ball around to six different receivers. Frontier sits right behind Bakersfield in the rankings, but if Rogers sits out again, the Titans will be a slight road favorite headed into Griffith Field.
Up next: at Bakersfield (0-1)
18. Clovis East 1-0
LW: 21
Sophomore Ty Miller threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns and linked up with his new favorite receiver Harold Duvall (also a sophomore) twice for scores. Duvall collected 118 yards on three catches and returned an interception 72 yards for another touchdown.
In their 48-21 win over Dinuba, Clovis East showed marked offensive improvement from last year under new head coach Brandon Nagle. Their skill positions are strong; speedy running back Lamaj Travis zoomed for 84 yards and two scores. Things look promising for Clovis East, which can climb up these rankings steadily, especially if they beat Sanger in two weeks.
Up next: vs. Atwater (1-0)
19. Washington Union (Easton) 1-0
LW: 20
The Panthers dispatched the Fresno Warriors, 61-0, and addressed the graduation of last year’s County All-Star quarterback Lawrence Stell with split snaps between sophomore Trey Morris and senior Marquese Glynn. Each quarterback threw two touchdown passes.
Josh Vega, boosted by his sturdy offensive line, rumbled for 86 yards and three touchdowns. The lights-out linebacker duo of Ryan Brown and Kado Felder finished with nine and eight tackles, respectively, and Brown intercepted a pass too. There’s a lot to like about Washington Union, which could climb higher with a win over Lemoore. John Ventura Stadium should be rocking Friday night.
Up next: vs. Lemoore (1-0)
20. Redwood (Visalia) 0-1
LW: 16
The Rangers fell behind early, attempted a 4th quarter comeback, but fell short in a 28-21 loss to Centennial of Bakersfield. Linebacker Rio Sanchez played great defensively with nine tackles, a pass deflection, and forced fumble. Junior receiver Moses Burk also burst loose for seven catches and 99 yards.
Centennial’s run defense won in the end, but Redwood’s offense will look to carry the momentum from its strong third quarter last week into a stiff test against Clovis North. One area of improvement is avoiding late-game turnovers.
Up next: at Clovis North (0-1) Thurs.
21. Sanger 1-0
LW: NR
Sanger played sound offensive and defensive football in its season-opening victory over Sanger West, 58-0. Senior Devin Salcedo didn’t need to throw the ball that much, because the Apaches controlled the line of scrimmage and thrived in the run game. Senior Jamir Galloway rushed for two touchdowns and close to 100 yards, and senior Emmanuel Salazar also reached the 100-yard mark with a touchdown as well.
Sophomore Cody Coles recorded two sacks, and senior Joel Lamas caught an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Among the highlights of the night was Andy Villareal’s 99-yard kickoff return touchdown that broke the school record. As such, the Apaches make their Top 25 debut with room to rise.
Up next: vs. Clovis (0-1)
22. Sunnyside (Fresno) 1-0
LW: 24
Sunnyside trailed 14-0 at first against Golden Valley. Then, the Tanner Wilson Show started. The sophomore QB completed 75% of his passes (33/44) for 463 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Wildcats, 50-27. His top target was sophomore CJ Jones, who posted video game numbers – 16 catches, 210 yards, and four touchdown grabs.
Ethan Ros caught two touchdowns, and Malachi Barnes received the other. Junior Noah Gonzales led the Sunnyside defense with 16 tackles (8 solo). The Wildcats moved two spots higher, but their jump could be more significant if they win their home opener.
Up next: vs. Kingsburg (1-0)
23. Tulare Western 1-0
LW: 23
Senior Carmine Ficher dazzled in his Thursday season opener at Groppetti Stadium in Visalia. Per Vongni Yang of the Visalia Times-Delta, Ficher passed for 359 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in a 31-13 win over El Diamante. His four touchdown passes went to Carson Lopes and Malachi Ficher, Carmine’s younger brother, with two apiece. Tulare Western can possibly climb a few spots with a road victory over Top 15 opponent Bullard.
Up next: at Bullard (0-1)
24. Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) 0-1
LW: 15
Mission Prep tumbled out of the Top 20 after its 35-9 defeat to Bakersfield Christian on the road. The Royals saw a big game from junior Drew Harrigan – 21 carries, 109 yards – but the offense was otherwise stagnant on a frustrating night in Bakersfield. After playing a Base D-III team in BCHS, the Royals go back to the drawing board and host D-V McLane next week.
Up next: BYE
25. Edison (Fresno) 1-0
LW: 25
Edison’s offense put up points and made the TV highlights, but defense sealed the 20-13 win over Kennedy at Sunnyside Stadium. The Tigers’ defense went sack, tackle for loss, and interception by sophomore Dezjour Malone in the final Kennedy series.
Senior Ya’J Vance passed for 356 yards and three touchdowns, to Malone, Taemell Horton, and Ray Brown. Brown posted a stacked stat line – 5 receptions, 147 yards, and a touchdown. Junior Nick Ball led the defense with 14 tackles and a sack. Edison will next face Hoover. Head coach Mike Stamps has a promising mix of young and veteran talent to make noise in the CMAC.
Up next: BYE
NEW: No. 21 Sanger
DROPPED OUT: No. 22 Dinuba
