TOP 20

1. Bakersfield (9-0) Next: at Liberty-Bakersfield (8-1), Thursday

2. Clovis (9-0 )Next: vs. Clovis West (2-7), Friday

3. Edison (8-1) Next: at Memorial (7-2), Friday

4. Bullard (7-2) Next: at Sunnyside (6-3), Friday

5. Central (7-2) Next: vs. Clovis East (1-8), Thursday

6. Clovis North (5-3) Next: at Buchanan (3-6), Thursday

7. Washington (9-0) Next: vs. Kerman (0-9), Friday

8. Ridgeview (8-0) Next: at Golden Valley (4-4), Thursday

9. Garces (8-1) Next: at North (4-4), Thursday

10. Liberty-Bakersfield (8-1) Next: vs. Bakersfield (9-0), Thursday

11. Tehachapi (8-1) Next: vs. Taft (2-6), Thursday

12. Memorial (7-2) Next: vs. Edison (8-1), Friday

13. Dinuba (9-0) Next: at Exeter (3-6), Thursday

14. Centennial (4-4) Next: at Frontier (4-4), Thursday

15. Clovis West (2-7) Next: at Clovis (9-0), Friday

16. Frontier (4-4) Next: vs. Centennial (4-4), Thursday

17. Sunnyside (6-3) Next: vs. Bullard (7-2), Friday

18. Madera South (8-1) Next: vs. McLane (2-7), Wednesday

19. Madera (4-5) Next: vs. Sanger (3-6), Friday

20. Mendota (9-0) Next: vs. Tranquillity (5-4), Thursday

DIVISIONAL RANKINGS

D-I 1. Bakersfield; 2. Clovis; 3. Edison

D-II 1. Clovis North; 2. Garces; 3. Tehachapi

D-III 1. Ridgeview; 2. Dinuba; 3. Madera South

D-IV 1. Washington; 2. Wasco (8-1); 3. Coalinga (8-2)

D-V Firebaugh (8-1); 2. Fowler (7-2); 3. Granite Hills (4-6)

D-VI 1. Mendota; 2. Farmersville (6-2); 3. Strathmore (8-1)

THE BUZZ

Bakersfield's continued dominance, Clovis' second overtime escape and seven losses among teams listed in The Bee's Top 20 last week have caused an overhaul in the final rankings entering this week's regular-season finales. Bakersfield will likely have to lose to intracity foe Liberty on Friday to be denied the Central Section's top Division I seed Saturday morning in Porterville. It will be there that section commissioner Jim Crichlow and three area assistants will draw the six-division seeds. ... In comparative scores, Bakersfield has defeated Centennial 31-0 and a Stockdale team with star running back D.J. Martin 46-7; Clovis, which had been ranked No. 1 wire-to-wire before this week, beat Centennial 28-22 in overtime and a Stockdale team without an academic ineligible Martin 42-0. In addition, a Timpview-Utah team that Bakersfield whipped 38-13 on a neutral field to open the season is 10-2 and has reached the state 4-A Division semifinals. ... Clearly, Clovis isn't the same team with running back Yoon Conner hobbled. The junior, after averaging 123 yards a game and 6.2 yards a carry in the team's first seven contests, has averaged 16 yards a game and 3.1 yards per carry in the past two games with a bad leg. That included a 27-21 OT win Friday over Clovis North when he had 6 yards on three carries. That said, Clovis has established a mini pattern behind quarterback Jaryd Weakley in delivering magical plays when needed at the wire against Centennial and Clovis North. ... D-I Tulare and D-II Sunnyside figure to be hurt badly at the seeding table as a result of their losses to Mission Oak (17-14) and Sanger (14-10), respectively. Tulare in particular continues to be a difficult team to judge because of its schedule. The Redskins' wins in an 8-1 season have come against opponents with a combined 24-49 record. And the one victory against a D-I team was 1-8 El Diamante (48-14). ... The section's baffling score of the year -- Clovis East 35, Liberty-Bakersfield 7 on Sept. 16. Since, Liberty has gone 6-0, including victories against Bee teams ranked at the time in Frontier, Stockdale and Centennial, and Clovis East has gone 0-6. ... In the West Sierra League showdown of unbeaten teams Friday at Firebaugh, won 27-13 by Mendota, the permanent midfield logo of "Eagles" was accompanied with a painted replica of a green highway sign "California 33." Further, many fans arrived with T-shirts displaying "Battle of California 33." And a record crowd of more than 4,000 resulted in nearly $2,000 in hot chocolate sales alone.