FRIDAY NIGHT REWIND: Football playoff brackets unveiled
Oct. 30—The regular season is officially in the books and now area high school football teams are turning their collective sights to postseason play.
The Central Section has spoken, and the divisional brackets have been unveiled.
Defending Division-I champion Liberty High (8-2), fresh off its fifth straight league title, earned the No. 3 seed in Division I and a bye in Friday's first-round action. The Patriots will play the winner of No. 11 Clovis East and No. 6 Santa Maria-St. Joseph in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 10. All games were moved up a day to avoid Friday's Veterans Day holiday.
Fellow South Yosemite River League opponents Garces and Centennial join Liberty in the D-I bracket, with the No. 9 Rams (4-6) playing at No. 8 Clovis, and No. 10 Golden Hawks (8-2) traveling to No. 7 Clovis North. A Garces win would set up a game at top-seeded Clovis West, with Centennial playing at No. 2 Clovis-Buchanan.
In Division II, No. 5 Bakersfield Christian (6-4) and No. 7 Frontier (6-4) will each open the playoffs with home games. The Eagles host No. 12 Fresno-Edison on Friday, with the Titans playing No. 10 Lompoc. No. 13 Ridgeview (5-5) will play at No. 4 Hanford.
In Division III, South Yosemite Mountain Division champion Tehachapi earned the No. 3 seed and will host No. 14 Visalia-Mt. Whitney, while newly-crowned South Sequoia League champion Kennedy (7-2) was rewarded with a No. 4 seed and will host No. 13 Highland (4-6). The Scots defeated the Thunderbirds 25-21 earlier this season. No. 8 Chavez will play at home against No. 9 Arroyo Grande. Defending D-IV champion Independence is the No. 15 seed in D-III this year and opens postseason play at No. 2 Porterville.
Here's a complete list of playoff brackets along with a few highlights of some of Week 11's action:
Central Section football playoffs
First round, Friday
Division I
No. 1 Clovis West, bye
No. 2 Clovis-Buchanan, bye
No. 3 Liberty, bye
No. 4 Fresno-San Joaquin Memorial, bye
No. 12 Visalia-Redwood at No. 5. Fresno-Central
No. 11 Clovis East at No. 6 Santa Maria-St. Joseph
No. 10 Centennial at No. 7 Clovis North
No. 9 Garces at No. 8 Clovis
Division II
No. 1 Visalia-Central Valley Christian, bye
No. 2 Kingsburg, bye
No. 3 Lemoore, bye
No. 13 Ridgeview at No. 4 Hanford
No. 12 Fresno-Edison at No. 5 Bakersfield Christian
No. 11 Dinuba at No. 6 Fresno-Washington Union
No. 10 Lompoc at No. 7 Frontier
No. 9 Paso Robles at No. 8 Sanger
Division III
No. 1 San Luis Obispo-Mission Prep, bye
No. 15 Independence at No. 2 Porterville
No. 14 Visalia-Mt. Whitney at No. 3 Tehachapi
No. 13 Highland at No. 4 Kennedy
No. 12 Santa Ynez at No. 5 Kerman
No. 11 Fresno-Sunnyside at No. 6 Tulare Union
No. 10 San Luis Obispo at No. 7 Tulare-Mission Oak
No. 9 Arroyo Grande at No. 8 Chavez
Division IV
No. 1 Madera-Liberty, bye
No. 15 South at No. 2 Taft
No. 14 Madera at No. 3 Caruthers
No. 13 Reedley at No. 4 Madera-Torres
No. 12 North at No. 5 Wasco
No. 11 Fowler at No. 6 Fresno-Garza
No. 10 Exeter at No. 7 Coalinga
No. 9 Strathmore at No. 8 Shafter
Division V
No. 1 Bishop Union, bye
No. 2 Atascadero, bye
No. 14 West at No. 3 Dos Palos
No. 13 Fresno-Roosevelt at No. 4 Templeton
No. 12 Fresno-McLane at No. 5 Corcoran
No. 11 Golden Valley at No. 6 Morro Bay
No. 10 Santa Maria at No. 7 Madera South
No. 9 Delano at No. 8 Santa Maria-Pioneer Valley
Division VI
No. 1 Hanford West, bye
No. 2 Reedley-Immanuel, bye
No. 14 Mira Monte at No. 3 Mendota
No. 13 Lindsay, at No. 4 Arvin
No. 12 Farmersville at No. 5 Avenal
No. 11 Boron at No. 6 Woodlake
No. 10 Riverdale at No. 7 Chowchilla
No. 9 Orosi at No. 8 Kern Valley
Garces 38, Stockdale 0
Jordan Gallegoz rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Rams (4-6, 2-2) past the Mustangs (2-8, 0-4) in South Yosemite River League play. After throwing an interception on Garces' first possession, Gallegoz capped first-quarter drives with TD runs of 21 and 7 yards to give his team a 14-0 lead. He finished with 6 of 8 passing for 102 yards, and rushed for 50 yards on five carries. The senior quarterback connected with Cage Williams on a 45-yard scoring pass in the second quarter, and David Smith followed with a 53-yard touchdown run to give the Rams a 30-0 halftime lead. Smith finished with a game-high 130 yards rushing on seven carries. Smith also recovered a fumble, one of three turnovers generated by the Garces' defense. Nathaniel Wallace and Jack Froelich each had interceptions. Ian Harrision capped the game's scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run, and Logan Slaton added 57 yards on the ground.
Taft 21, Delano 0
Cyris Gaylord rushed for a game-high 90 yards and two touchdowns and the Wildcats (7-2, 4-1) closed South Sequoia League play with a shutout victory over the Tigers (4-5, 1-4). Gaylord opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown and then capped it with a 6-yard TD run with 2:03 left in the game. Taft quarterback Jayce Moore was 6 for 11 passing for 11 yards, including a 63-yard scoring pass to Richard Jennings midway through the second quarter. The Wildcats limited Delano to just 21 yards rushing and 123 total yards from scrimmage. Skyler Sutherland had two interceptions, two tackles for a loss and also knocked down two passes. Zachary Wheeler had four tackles for a loss.
Other Week 11 scores
Centennial 27, Frontier 21
Mira Monte 27, Foothill 20
Apple Valley 56, Burroughs 2
Liberty 55, Bakersfield 3
Bakersfield Christian 35, Independence 14
Kennedy 21, Chavez 3
Ridgeview 56, Highland 28
Wasco 41, Shafter 35
South 30, North 23
West 20, East 13
Rosamond 14, California City 13
Bishop 37, Boron 6
Mojave at Lancaster-Desert Christian, late
Frazier Mountain at Santa Clarita Christian, late
