Will there be a hangover for Central High after a TRAC-opening win over Buchanan?

Central High football coach Kyle Biggs sent a message to his team this week, fresh off a victory over Buchanan in the the latest 1 vs. 2 Central Section showdown.

“Do not be comfortable,” he said. “We haven’t accomplished any of our goals yet. We have to keep getting better, having good practices and doing little things right.”

Those goals are to repeat as TRAC and section champions and add another jewel: a state title.

The Bee’s top-ranked Grizzlies (6-0, 1-0) did everything right in a 42-24 victory over the Bears in a Tri-River Athletic Conference opener. Buchanan slipped a spot to No. 3 in The Bee’s latest rankings.

Central faces another Top 10 team this week in No. 8 Clovis (5-1, 1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Central’s Koligian Stadium.

“We just remind our kids that the Buchanan game is over and we have to play a really good Clovis High team,” Biggs said. “If we don’t show up to play our best game, Clovis will beat us.”

Central is ranked No. 10 by Cal-Hi Sports, No. 3 in Northern California. Buchanan, with its other loss to No. 4 De La Salle-Concord, fell six spots to No. 23. The Bears (4-2, 0-1) play hard-luck Clovis West (0-6, 0-1) Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Golden Eagles lost 42-40 in double-overtime to Clovis North last week, their second straight two-point loss.

Clovis North (1-0, 2-3) plays Clovis East (3-3, 0-1) at Lamonica Stadium in another TRAC game.

Football

North Yosemite League – Roosevelt opened the NYL with a 35-0 victory over Reedley. The Rough Riders sit at 5-1 and 1-0 and next face Hoover at McLane Stadium on Friday.

The Rough Riders rebounded well after suffering their first loss, 22-21 in overtime to Kerman.

“Football is about opportunities,” said first-year Roosevelt coach Vince Branstetter. “We had some stuff go our way in a close game. We can be sitting here at 6-0 or 2-4. Football is a funny game. You need a few bounces go your way.”

Branstetter said it won’t be easy in the NYL, with Fresno and Sunnyside also at 1-0.

“Fun, competitive league top to bottom,” he said. “It’s going to be wide-open. Looks like some teams are starting to figure it out. We’re sitting in a good position. We’re 0-0 every week and try to play our best that week.”

County/Metro Athletic Conference – San Joaquin Memorial and Edison opened with routs, while Sanger edged Madera.

That sets up Madera (4-2, 0-1) for a game crucial to its title hopes, at home against Edison (3-3, 1-0). Memorial (6-0, 1-0) hosts Madera South (0-6, 0-1) and Sanger (5-1, 1-0) hosts Bullard (1-5, 0-1).

Milestones – Section historian Bob Barnett notes that Tulare Union quarterback Nathan Lamb grabbed the school record with 96 career touchdown passes, hitting the mark with five in a 35-0 East Yosemite League victory over Monache.

Woodlake snapped Strathmore’s 21-game winning streak in a 38-20 victory.

Central Section Top 10 football rankings

Volleyball

Central continues to roll in the TRAC after sweeping Clovis East on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies (30-3, 5-0) are ranked No. 6 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and will visit Clovis West (20-10, 3-2) on Thursday.

Cross country

The 40th Asics Clovis Invitational will take place on the 5,000-meter course at Woodward Park on Saturday.

It is a prelude to the state championships in November at the same site. There will be a championship race for elite teams.

Racing starts at 7:15 a.m. The elite girls race is at 8:55 and the elite boys start at 9:30.

Last season, Great Oak-Temecula swept the team titles.

This story was originally published October 3, 2018 at 11:41 AM.