High school football Week 11: ‘Little Big Game’ and other rivalry results; league champs
Pancho the pig stays with Roosevelt High.
Roosevelt jumped out to a 20-6 halftime lead and never looked back in a 33-12 victory over Fresno in the 92nd Little Big Game at Ratcliffe Stadium on Friday.
Rough Riders quarterback Jackson Kloster threw three touchdowns.
“It means a lot,” Kloster said. “We didn’t start the season off good, but we finished strong going into the playoffs. It was a big game for us. If they won, they would’ve gone to the playoffs, but we won and now we’re going to the playoffs. We won it for our community. It’s a great feeling.”
Fresno leads the all-time series 46-44-2, according to Central Section historian Bob Barnett. The Warriors last won the Little Big Game in 2016. The game wasn’t played in 2020 and 2021.
Pancho, a 35-pound pig statue, goes to the winning school.
San Joaquin Memorial 56, Sanger 21
The Panthers won their fourth County/Metro Athletic Conference title in five years and head into the Division I playoffs with a bye.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” SJM coach Anthony Goston said. “Hard-fought. Sanger is physical. We knew that. Their style of play makes it hard. Our guys just battled through everything.”
Brandon Ramirez led the way for Memorial with four touchdowns, and Jordan Black had an interception return for a touchdown in the first half.
The section playoff pairings will be announced Saturday afternoon.
Game balls
Francisco Alvarez, Redwood: Two touchdown passes and ran for one in the Rangers’ 28-0 Cowhide Game victory over Mt. Whitney.
Ty Chambers and Andrew Moench, Lemoore: Two touchdowns apiece to help the Tigers to a 42-15 Milk Can Game victory over Hanford.
Jordan Crisp, Tulare Union: Completed 10 of 11 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a fourth in the Tribe’s 49-6 Bell Game victory over Tulare Western.
Bryson Donelson, Central Valley Christian: Seven carries for 176 yards and three touchdowns as the Cavaliers rolled past Immanuel 50-7.
Jace Evans, Exeter: Scored on a 75-yard kickoff return that tied the game at 7 in the Monarchs’ 17-14 victory over Reedley.
Aaron Hamilton, Clovis North: Had a key interception that led to a go-ahead touchdown in the Broncos’ 35-28 victory over Central.
C.J. Hernandez, Dinuba: Threw for three touchdowns to lead the Emperors past Mission Oak 38-21.
Paul Holland, Washington Union: Freshman’s interception return for a touchdown sealed the Panthers’ 14-0 win over Kerman.
Jayden Mandal, Buchanan: Four touchdown passes in the Bears’ 69-27 victory over Clovis East.
Anthony Salinas, Farmersville: He had a rushing and receiving touchdown as the Aztecs defeated Corcoran 16-12.
Caleb Sisco, Liberty-Madera Ranchos: Four touchdowns, including an interception return for a touchdown in the Hawks’ 57-7 victory over Chowchilla.
Logan Stotts, Fresno Christian: Led the Eagles to a 56-12 victory over Laton when he passed for seven touchdowns.
Noah Tasi, Coalinga: Four touchdown passes and capped the scoring on a 98-yard run for a touchdown in a 39-22 victory over Dos Palos.
Ki’mauri Washington, Edison: Two interceptions and two pass deflections to power the Tigers past Bullard 37-14.
Tanner Wilson, Sunnyside: Set the section passing yards record for a single season, according to historian Bob Barnett, in a win over Sanger West.
Ethan Winslow, Kingsburg: Four touchdown passes in the Vikings’ 76-22 win over Selma.
Other rivalry games
Range Rider Trophy: Clovis West 27, Clovis 0
Revolution Bowl: McLane 22, Hoover 20
Milk Can Game: Lemoore 42, Hanford 15
Bell Game: Tulare Union 49, Tulare Western 6
Cowhide Game: Redwood 28, Mt. Whitney 0
Battle for the Saddle: El Diamante 14, Golden West 12
Fire Hydrant Trophy: Kingsburg 76, Selma 22
Granite Bowl: Porterville 55, Monache 7
Battle of the Cats: Washington Union 14, Kerman 0
Battle for the Bell: Strathmore 49, Lindsay 20
Crosstown Classic: Edison 37, Bullard 14
Rodeo Bowl: Torres 29, Madera South 20
Clash of the Claws: Hanford West 18, Sierra Pacific 0
League champions
Tri-River: Clovis West 4-1
County/Metro: San Joaquin Memorial 5-0
North Yosemite: Sunnyside 7-0
West Yosemite: Lemoore 5-0
East Yosemite: Redwood 5-0
Tri-County - Kings Canyon: Central Valley Christian 4-0
Tri-County - Sequoia: Exeter 4-0. Note: In the last game, Exeter defeated Reedley 17-14
East Sequoia: Corcoran 6-1, Strathmore 6-1. Note: Corcoran lost to Farmersville 16-12 in the last league game; Corcoran beat Strathmore head-to-head.
Northwest Sequoia: Liberty-Madera Ranchos 7-0
West Sierra: Coalinga 5-0. Note: Coalinga defeated Dos Palos in the last game of the season.
Central Sierra (8 Man): Fresno Christian 4-0
Bee’s predictions
The Bee went 13-3 in the rivalry and key games this week.
The Bee incorrectly predicted that Central would beat Clovis North. The Broncos won the matchup 35-28.
The Bee predicted that Madera South would defeat Torres in the first Rodeo Bowl. Torres won the game 29-20. The other loss was Golden West losing to El Diamante.
The Bee correctly predicted Buchanan, Clovis West, Roosevelt, San Joaquin Memorial, Lemoore, Tulare Union, Redwood, Kingsburg, Porterville, Washington Union, Strathmore, Edison and Coalinga to win.
The Bee is 52-14.
Top 25 fared
1. Liberty-Bakersfield (8-2) defeated Bakersfield 55-3
2. San Joaquin Memorial (8-2) defeated Sanger 56-21
3. Central (6-4) lost to Clovis North 35-28
4. Central Valley Christian (10-0) defeated Immanuel 50-7
5. Kingsburg (9-1) defeated Selma 76-22
6. St. Joseph (9-1) defeated Mission Prep 49-21
7. Clovis North (6-4) defeated Central 35-28
8. Clovis West (9-1) defeated Clovis 27-0
9. Lemoore (9-1) defeated Hanford 42-15
10. Buchanan (8-2) defeated Clovis East 69-27
11. Redwood (8-2) defeated Mt. Whitney 28-0
12. Frontier (6-4) lost to Centennial 27-21
13. Clovis (4-6) lost to Clovis West 27-0
14. Porterville (9-1) defeated Monache 55-7
15. Hanford (7-3) lost to Lemoore 42-15
16. Mission Prep (7-3) lost to St. Joseph 49-21
17. Bakersfield Christian (6-4) defeated Independence 35-14
18. Centennial (8-2) defeated Frontier 27-21
19. Clovis East (6-4) lost to Buchanan 69-27
20. Mission Oak (5-5) lost to Dinuba 38-21
21. Reedley (6-4) lost to Exeter 17-14
22. Lompoc (7-3) defeated Santa Ynez 48-14
23. Sanger (6-4) lost to San Joaquin Memorial 56-21
24. Sunnyside (8-2) defeated Sanger West 57-14
25. Garces (4-6) defeated Stockdale 38-0
