Two more North Kern football games called off following violence

Oct. 13—After the McFarland Unified School District opted earlier this week to cancel multiple athletic events, including the high school football game at Kennedy, due to violence in the area, two additional North Kern football matchups were nixed Thursday.

Delano's league matchup at Wasco Thursday night was canceled, as was Chavez's home game against Taft Friday, despite early suggestions that it might just be moved.

"Yesterday throughout the day and early this morning, the Wasco Union High School District (WUHSD) continued to work closely with law enforcement and the community to monitor developments connected to safety concerns," wrote Kevin Tallon, the district's acting superintendent, in a statement to The Californian Thursday afternoon. "In light of the recent violence in and around the community, the District has decided to cancel all extra-curricular activities for the remainder of the week, including tonight's home football game against Delano High School."

Tallon added that the high school would have an "increased law enforcement presence" throughout Thursday.

The Taft football Twitter account initially announced that it would host Chavez Friday night at Martin Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m., rather than traveling up to Delano to play the Titans. However, Delano Joint Union High School District Director of Student Services Rene Ayon told The Californian Thursday afternoon that the game would instead be canceled "out of an abundance of caution," although he said the Delano Police Department has "maintained their stance that it's still safe to continue with scheduled activities."

Ayon said the cancellation would be part of a shutdown of afterschool activities also impacting volleyball, tennis and cross-country.

"We will reevaluate and see where we are for next week," he said.

Delano High coach Frank Gonzales Jr., a 1985 graduate of the school, retired as a sergeant from the Bakersfield Police Department in 2020. Although he moved from Delano when he was 19, he can't remember ever having a game canceled over fears of violence in the area.

"I know the Delano area does have gang and narcotics issues, and surrounding law enforcement is doing the best they can with the resources they have." said Gonzales, who has served in numerous assignments while with BPD, including patrol, field training, gang suppression, narcotics and as an investigation supervisor. "These are issues that take time and a lot of manpower."

Kennedy coach Mario Millan is a 1988 graduate of Delano who grew up in nearby Richgrove, and isn't surprised at the recent events.

"To be honest, there has always been rough times, off and on, as long as I can remember," said Millan, whose team is tied with Chavez atop the South Sequoia League standings at 5-0. "Growing up, I would argue (it was) worse, but with the ability to get information out fast, true or not, it makes it appear so much worse."

McFarland's cancellation announcement Tuesday initially referenced a drive-by shooting Monday that, according to the Delano Police Department, took place in Tulare County near County Line Road and Road 136, ultimately leaving two people dead.

McFarland Unified School District Superintendent Aaron Resendez said shootings in Tulare communities close to the Kern County border, Delano, McFarland and other northern Kern cities led to his decision to cancel all after-school activities for the entire week.

"I would rather apologize for rescheduling an event ... rather than apologizing" for a tragic situation, Resendez said.

Over the last two weeks, four people died and at least seven have been shot in Tulare County communities, according to Tulare news articles. On Oct. 4, one man was shot dead in Woodville. A 15-year-old boy died in a Pixley shooting Oct. 7 and another teenager was injured in the same incident. Three men were shot in a backyard Orosi shooting Sunday, reported ABC30 Fresno.

McFarland Police Chief Kenny Williams estimates the city of McFarland itself experienced about five shootings throughout the past "few months," which have not resulted in injuries. There have been three homicides in McFarland this year, he added.

Gangs warring between McFarland and Delano is a common occurrence and may explain the recent spate of violence, Williams said.

"For as long as I can remember, there's always been gang issues between the city of McFarland and Delano because they battle back and forth," Williams said.

Both Resendez and Williams mentioned there are no particular threats targeted at McFarland schools.

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, sent out a press release Thursday saying she had asked Attorney General Rob Bonta to help create a "special law enforcement task force to provide immediate assistance to Kern County to address rising violence and homicide rates," specifically citing the McFarland cancellations as justification.

While McFarland's statement said the district was canceling all remaining athletic events for the week, Shari Gonzales, the high school vice principal for activities and athletics, told The Californian that a volleyball game against Taft that was initially slated for the night of the announcement instead would be played next Wednesday.

As for the three football disruptions, they come during the third-to-last week of the season as teams jockey for position in the South Sequoia League, in total affecting every school but Shafter, which is on a bye.

"It's extremely unfortunate that we lost our Homecoming week and game," Millan said. "We understand that the safety of our kids and their families is of paramount importance and so this decision is for the best for all. But young people are losing many positive opportunities due to actions outside of their control and that is a sad state of affairs. We are hoping with one home game remaining we can make it up to our students and athletes."

Separate from these changes, Frontier's South Yosemite River League game at Stockdale was also moved from Thursday to Friday, leaving East at South as the lone Thursday night game.