Barring any upsets during this final week of regular-season play by Independence, Stockdale should be a lock for Division I's top seed, which will be announced Saturday. The defending champion Mustangs have two losses to section opposition this season (Centennial and Frontier) and feature one of the best pitchers in the section in Justine Vela.

With about a month remaining in Central Section basketball, here are The Bee Player of the Year favorites. And, remember, this excludes Kern County.

The combination of a boy thirsting for the game soon after he could walk and an accomplished father to groom him, year after year, has produced one of the most prolific careers in the history of Central Section basketball.

Washington High's Deontay Greenberry, a national-class receiver in large part because of his jumping ability, made a leap early Wednesday that sent shock waves across the country.

Deontay Greenberry of Washington High set state single-season receiving records for yards (2,165) and touchdowns (33) — scoring at least once in every game — while becoming only the fourth Central Section representative in 121 years to be named Mr. Football State Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports.

Boys basketball