Breaking down the Central Section football playoffs with predictions for each division
Playoffs pairings for high school football were announced by the Central Section and there were no surprises in Division I.
As expected, Clovis North is the top seed and will get a bye in the first round, along with No. 2 Frontier, No. 3 Liberty-Bakersfield and No. 4 Clovis East.
Despite finishing third in the Tri-River Athletic Conference behind Clovis North and Central and losing to the Grizzlies during league play, the Timberwolves were a seed better in virtue of their win over Clovis. The Cougars beat the Grizzlies at Koligian Stadium.
Frontier ended Liberty-Bakersfield’s long league winning streak and earned the No. 2 seed.
East Yosemite League champion Hanford drew the No. 9 seed and will visit No. 8 Clovis West at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers defeated Lemoore for the EYL title. Lemoore barely lost to Clovis West earlier in the season.
No. 5 Sanger gets a home date against No. 12 Garces. The Apaches haven been impressive all season. Their lone loss was to Clovis East at Lamonica Stadium.
No. 6 Clovis gets a home game against No. 11 St. Joseph. The Cougars improved under quarterback Deagan Rose who’s been solid all season.
No. 7 Central hosts No. 10 Arroyo Grande in other D-I matchup. Despite the loss to outright TRAC champions, the Grizzlies have played better behind quarterback David Marquez.
Division II
Central Valley Christian is the top seed.
The Cavaliers rolled through the league portion of the schedule.
CVC’s only loss was to Clovis North which helped them along the way during the regular season.
The Cavaliers will face No. 16 Stockdale.
No. 3 Kingsburg will host No. 12 Dinuba. Both teams played earlier in the season, won by the Vikings 42-14.
No. 7 Sunnyside has an interesting matchup against No. 10 Redwood. The Wildcats can put up a lot of points, but the Rangers have only given up 41 points in the past five games.
No. 11 Madera travels to face No. 6 Bakersfield Christian.
The Coyotes have improved this season and will open the playhoffs on the road. Madera closed out the County/Metro Athletic Conference with a 28-27 win over Garza, which will also played in D-II as the 15th seed and will play No. 2 Lemoore.
Division III
Kerman gets a home matchup as the fifth seed and will face No. 12 Golden West.
Other Fresno-area schools matchup include No. 7 Washington Union hosting No. 10 Templeton and No. 3 Mission Oak playing No. 14 Independence.
No. 8 Porterville will meet No. 9 Pioneer Valley.
Division IV
No. 3 Exeter stumbled in its last regular season and lost to Reedley. The Monarchs will look to rebound against No. 14 Highland.
No. 4 Coalinga plays a home game against an improved No. 13 Sierra Pacific.
Fresh off its Little Big Game win, No. 11 Roosevelt hits the road to face a strong No. 6 Chowchilla team that won its league.
No. 7 Caruthers will look to get by when it faces No. 10 Santa Maria. The Blue Raiders are led by the nation’s rushing leader Hunter Babb.
No. 5 Torres, the second place finishers in the North Yosemite League, will host No. 12 Immanuel.
No. 8 McLane hosts No. 9 Golden Valley-Bakersfield.
Division V
Sanger West makes its playoffs debut as the No. 11 seed and will visit No. 6 Chavez.
No. 5 Orosi hosts No. 12 Hoover in the other division matchup.
No. 3 Liberty-Madera Ranchos will face No. 14 Firebaugh and No. 10 Reedley will play at No. 7 Delano.
No. 8 Corcoran plays No. 9 North.
Division VI
No. 3 Mendota is matched up against No. 14 Foothill, while No. 4 Strathmore will host No. 13 Kern Valley.
No. 5 Woodlake will play No. 12 Minarets and No. 8 Avenal hosts No. 9 Orange Cove.
No. 7 Fowler gets a home game against No. 10 Lindsay in an interesting matchup.
8-man
Defending champions and top-seed Fresno Christian gets a bye.
No. 3 Sierra will host No. 6 Orcutt Academy.
Predictions
Division I
No. 9 Hanford 43, No. 8 Clovis West 40
No. 5 Sanger 34, No. 12 Garces 20
No. 6 Clovis 37, No. 11 St. Joseph 29
No. 7 Central 32, No. 10 Arroyo Grande 16
Division II
No. 1 Central Valley Christian 44, No. 16 Stockdale 27
No. 8 Bakersfield 30, No. 9 Tehachapi 24
No. 3 Kingsburg 34, No. 12 Dinuba 26
No. 4 Tulare Union 30, No. 13 San Luis Obispo 20
No. 3 Centennial 47, No. 14 Lompoc 13
No. 6 Bakersfield Christian 27, No. 11 Madera 23
No. 7 Sunnyside 32, No. 10 Redwood 25
No. 2 Lemoore 27, No. 15 Garza 23
Division III
No. 8 Porterville 23, No. 9 Pioneer Valley 20
No. 5 Kerman 20, No. 12 Golden West 16
No. 4 Kennedy 36, No. 13 Santa Ynez 13
No. 3 Mission Oak 27, No. 14 Independence 24
No. 6 Mt. Whitney 24, No. 11 Nipomo 20
No. 10 Templeton 23, No. 7 Washington Union 17
Division IV
No. 8 McLane 27, No. 9 Golden Valley 20
No. 5 Torres 43, No. 12 Immanuel 24
No. 4 Coalinga 34, No. 13 Sierra Pacific 23
No. 3 Exeter 24, No. 14 Highland 20
No. 6 Chowchilla 43, No. 11 Roosevelt 30
No. 7 Caruthers 38, No. 10 Santa Maria 33
Division V
No. 9 North 24, No. 8 Corcoran 21
No. 5 Orosi 47, No. 12 Hoover 13
No. 4 Morro Bay 24, No. 13 East Bakersfield 17
No. 3 Liberty-Madera Ranchos 41, No. 14 Firebaugh 24
No. 6 Chavez 34, No. 11 Sanger West 20
No. 10 Reedley 27, No. 7 Delano 24
Division VI
No. 9 Orange Cove 34, No. 8 Avenal 23
No. 5 Woodlake 30, No. 12 Minarets 20
No. 4 Strathmore 24, No. 13 Kern Valley 13
No. 3 Mendota 27, No. 14 Foothill 24
No. 6 Taft 17, No. 11 Rosamond 14
No. 7 Fowler 34, No. 10 Lindsay 24
8-man
No. 5 Frazier Mountain 47, No. 4 Mammoth 44
No. 3 Sierra 38, No. 6 Orcutt Academy 30
No. 2 Riverdale Christian 35, No. 7 Lone Pine 29
Schedule
Friday’s games, 7 p.m.
Division I
No. 9 Hanford at No. 8 Clovis West
No. 12 Garces at No. 5 Sanger
No. 11 St. Joseph at No. 6 Clovis
No. 10 Arroyo Grande at No. 7 Central
Byes: No. 1 Clovis North, No. 2 Frontier, No. 3 Liberty-Bakersfield, No. 4 Clovis East
Division II
No. 16 Stockdale at No. 1 Central Valley Christian
No. 9 Tehachapi at No. 8 Bakersfield
No. 12 Dinuba at No. 3 Kingsburg
No. 13 San Luis Obispo at No. 4 Tulare Union
No. 14 Lompoc at No. 3 Centennial
No. 11 Madera at No. 6 Bakersfield Christian
No. 10 Redwood at No. 7 Sunnyside
No. 15 Garza at No. 2 Lemoore
Division III
No. 9 Pioneer Valley at No. 8 Porterville
No. 12 Golden West at No. 5 Kerman
No. 13 Santa Ynez at No. 4 Kennedy
No. 14 Independence at No. 3 Mission Oak
No. 11 Nipomo at No. 6 Mt. Whitney
No. 10 Templeton at No. 7 Washington Union
Byes: No. 1 Mission Prep, No. 2 Atascadero
Division IV
No. 9 Golden Valley at No. 8 McLane
No. 12 Immanuel at No. 5 Torres
No. 13 Sierra Pacific at No. 4 Coalinga
No. 14 Highland at No. 3 Exeter
No. 11 Roosevelt at No. 6 Chowchilla
No. 10 Santa Maria at No. 7 Caruthers
Byes: No. 1 Shafter, No. 2 Dos Palos
Division V
No. 9 North at No. 8 Corcoran
No. 12 Hoover at No. 5 Orosi
No. 13 East Bakersfield at No. 4 Morro Bay
No. 14 Firebaugh at No. 3 Liberty-Madera Ranchos
No. 11 Sanger West at No. 6 Chavez
No. 10 Reedley at No. 7 Delano
Byes: No. 1 Bishop, No. 2 Wasco
Division VI
No. 9 Orange Cove at No. 8 Avenal
No. 12 Minarets at No. 5 Woodlake
No. 13 Kern Valley at No. 4 Strathmore
No. 14 Foothill at No. 3 Mendota
No. 11 Rosamond at No. 6 Taft
No. 10 Lindsay at No. 7 Fowler
Byes: No. 1 Arvin, No. 2 Boron
8-man
No. 5 Frazier Mountain at No. 4 Mammoth
No. 6 Orcutt Academy at No. 3 Sierra
No. 7 Lone Pine at No. 2 Riverdale Christian
Bye: No. 1 Fresno Christian
