Central Section football quarterfinals: Dramatic, late TDs send teams to semifinals
Kerman High saved the best for last.
The fifth-seeded Lions scored the final 13 points, capped by Julien Velez’s touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining in a 34-28 victory over No. 4 Kennedy in a Central Section Division II high school football quarterfinal game on Thursday night in Bakersfield.
The game was close throughout and featured four ties.
Kerman had trailed 21-14 in the second quarter before Adrian Torres’ 60-yard touchdown pass to Adam Delgado. An extra point kick by Eddie Hernandez tied the score at 21.
Velez scored on a run to tie it at 28 before adding the winning touchdown. He finished the game with 128 rushing yards.
Division II: Lemoore rolls
Elijah Daley provided a much-needed spark for No. 2 seed Lemoore.
Daley scored on a kickoff return to break a tie and the Tigers scored 24 unanswered points for a 38-22 victory over No. 7 Sunnyside in a Central Section Division II quarterfinal.
Daley later added a touchdown run.
The Wildcats only led once in the game in the fourth quarter.
Lemoore will face No. 3 Centennial, which defeated No. 11 Madera 42-7.
Division IV: Rally withstood
Fifth-seeded Torres withstood a late rally from No. 4 Coalinga.
The Toros had a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter, before the Horned Toads rallied to score the next two touchdowns but couldn’t add a third in a 21-19 loss.
Coalinga tried a two-point conversion on its first touchdown in the fourth quarter but failed.
It was a defensive battle across the final 6 minutes of the game.
Division V: OT decides game
Third-seeded Liberty-Madera Ranchos and No. 6 Chavez decided their playoff game in overtime.
But not before the Titans tied the score with 19 seconds remaining.
Liberty ended up winning 34-31 when Noah Bonilla hit Brody Harlow on a pass across the middle for a 25-yard touchdown.
Chavez drove to the 1-yard line on the first possession in overtime, but settled on a field goal.
Bonilla threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns, Harlow had 155 receiving yards and Caleb Sisco had 110 total yards.
Talan LaMattina, Bonilla and Sisco each had 11 tackles.
Division VI: Late flurry
Bryson Bias completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Poole for the go-ahead score in the third quarter and No. 4 Strathmore held on for a 27-21 victory over No. 5 Woodlake.
The Spartans got a much-needed cushion when Gerardo Ruiz scored on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter.
In another close game, No. 7 Fowler defeated No. 2 Boron 43-36 behind Jerod Smith’s touchdown pass to Diego Diaz that gave the Redcats the win.
Smith’s touchdown came with 4:55 remaining.
Also, No. 3 Mendota scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 6 Taft 42-28.
8-man semifinals: Fresno Christian, Sierra advance
Top-seeded Fresno Christian is back in the championship.
The Eagles defeated No. 4 Mammoth 32-28.
Fresno Christian’s Logan Sotts had a passing touchdown and ran for two scores.
The Eagles will face No. 3 Sierra, a 76-40 winner over No. 2 Riverdale Christian.
Fresno Christian won last season’s 8-man title game.
Predictions
The Bee went 16-10 on its picks in the quarterfinals and is now 92-38 for the season.
Here is how The Bee fared this week:
Division I
The Bee went 2-2, incorrectly picking Sanger and Frontier to win its games.
Division II
Incorrectly picked Sunnyside to win, but correctly picked Central Valley Christian, Tulare Union and Centennial to go 3-1.
Division III
The Bee went 1-3 with the only win coming from Mission Oak.
Division IV
The Bee split, going 2-2 with wins by Dos Palos and Shafter.
Division V
The Bee predicted Orosi and Reedley to win, but both lost to go 2-2 in the division.
Division VI
The Bee made it a clean sweep going 4-0.
8-man semifinals
The Bee also went 2-.0.
Scores
Division I
No. 1 Clovis North 41, No. 8 Clovis West 0
No. 4 Clovis East 17, No. 5 Sanger 14
No. 3 Liberty-Bakersfield 33, No. 6 Clovis 30
No. 7 Central 35, No. 2 Frontier 32
Division II
No. 1 Central Valley Christian 48, No. 9 Tehachapi 27
No. 4 Tulare Union 49, No. 5 Kingsburg 42
No. 3 Centennial 42, No. 11 Madera 7
No. 2 Lemoore 38, No. 7 Sunnyside 22
Division III
No. 1 Mission Prep 15, No. 8 Porterville 14
No. 5 Kerman 34, No. 4 Kennedy 28
No. 3 Mission Oak 35, No. 6 Mt. Whitney 12
No. 7 Washington Union 41, No. 2 Atascadero 13
Division IV
No. 1 Shafter 45, No. 9 Golden Valley-Bakersfield 7
No. 5 Torres 21, No. 4 Coalinga 19
No. 3 Exeter 45, No. 11 Roosevelt 22
No. 2 Dos Palos 45, No. 10 Santa Maria 28
Division V
No. 1 Bishop 55, No. 9 North 43
No. 4 Morro Bay 35, No. 5 Orosi 25
No. 3 Liberty-Madera Ranchos 34, No. 6 Chavez 31
No. 2 Wasco 28, No. 10 Reedley 21
Division VI
No. 1 Arvin 56, No. 9 Orange Cove 35
No. 4 Strathmore 27, No. 5 Woodlake 21
No. 3 Mendota 42, No. 6 Taft 28
No. 7 Fowler 43, No. 2 Boron 36
8-man semifinals
No. 1 Fresno Christian 32, No. 4 Mammoth 28
No. 3 Sierra 76, No. 2 Riverdale Christian 40
Next week’s semifinal schedule
7 p.m. Friday
Division I
No. 4 Clovis East at No. 1 Clovis North (Veterans Memorial Stadium)
No. 7 Central at No. 3 Liberty-Bakersfield
Division II
No. 4 Tulare Union at No. 1 Central Valley Christian
No. 3 Centennial at No. 2 Lemoore
Division III
No. 5 Kerman at No. 1 Mission Prep
No. 7 Washington Union at No. 3 Mission Oak
Division IV
No. 5 Torres at No. 1 Shafter
No. 3 Exeter at No. 2 Dos Palos
Division V
No. 4 Morro Bay at No. 1 Bishop
No. 3 Liberty-Madera Ranchos at No. 2 Wasco
Division VI
No. 4 Strathmore at No. 1 Arvin
No. 7 Fowler at No. 3 Mendota
8-man championship
No. 3 Sierra at No. 1 Fresno Christian
