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EASTON – The only thing that can stop Washington High now is the state bowl committee. Wasco certainly couldn't Friday as the Panthers rolled 55-12 to win the Central Section D-IV title.
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.
They parked a quarter-mile each way on Browning Avenue, stuffed the bleachers at Mike Noakes Field and stood 10 deep down the left-field line for Bullard High's 4-3 baseball win over Buchanan in the Central Section Division I semifinals.
Bullard High uses solid pitching and productive offense to beat Clovis 6-2 and win the Division I baseball title game Thursday. It was Bullard's first such victory since 1999.
The Central Section placed three players on Cal-Hi Sports ESPNHS's All-State boys basketball divisional first teams.
Marissa Rendon shut out the highest-scoring softball team in the Central Section on one hit, leading sixth-seeded Fowler past No. 1 Taft 1-0 Friday for the Division IV title.
The chemistry between Central High boys soccer standouts Matthew Olmos and Pedro Hernandez was on perfect display in a late January game that propelled the Grizzlies to the Tri-River Athletic Conference title.
Lindsey Clarkson pitched the first perfect game of her career and drove in a run, leading the second-seeded Grizzlies over No. 4 Clovis West 4-0 in the Central Section Division I softball final. It was only the second section title for a Central girls team in any sport, following tennis in 1984.