Sunnyside and Tulare Union meet for fourth year in a row to open Central Section playoffs
The Central Section high school football playoffs begin this week with eight rematches.
Seven of the 25 games pit teams that met during the regular season. Four of those are in the top two divisions: No. 11 Clovis North at No. 6 Edison and No. 9 Sanger at No. 8 Bullard in D-I, and No. 6 Redwood at No. 3 El Diamante and No. 5 Frontier at No. 4 Garces in D-II.
Then there’s the unusual rematch of D-II top seed Tulare Union and No. 8 Sunnyside meeting for the fourth consecutive year in the playoffs.
Last year’s was the wildest, Sunnyside defeating the Tribe 66-55 in the quarterfinals.
This what they wanted!!! Round 4 Sunnyside vs Tulare Union ‼️
— Sherwin King Jr ™ (@Sk2x_) November 4, 2017
In 2015, Sunnyside went to Tulare and won 46-14.
And in 2014, the Tribe came out on top 55-18.
Round 4 is Thursday night at Bob Mathias Stadium. Tulare Union rolls in undefeated at 10-0 while the Wildcats are 7-3 after roaring through the North Yosemite League.
Sunnyside senior Sherwin King Jr. participated in those playoff games against the Tribe and knows what to expect.
“Tulare Union always had a very good offense, fast and physical,” he said. “I had a feeling we would get placed with them, but it didn’t really matter because as of right now, it’s a tradition for us to play Tulare Union.”
Division I
Sanger surely is itching for revenge after Bullard opened the County/Metro Athletic Conference season with a 27-6 victory last month at Ratcliffe Stadium – ending Sanger’s 18-game winning streak against section opponents.
Both teams are coming off losses heading into the playoff game at 7 p.m. Thursday at McLane Stadium. Sanger lost 35-14 to San Joaquin Memorial, costing the Apaches a piece of the CMAC title. And Edison beat Bullard 20-14 to share the CMAC title with the Knights.
The Sanger-Bullard winner visits top-seeded Central in the quarterfinals. The Grizzlies, runners-up in D-I last year, are one of 19 section schools on a bye this week.
Edison blanked Clovis North 20-0 earlier this season.
Record watch
Tulare Union senior running back Kazmeir Allen’s 55 touchdowns this season is second-best in section history, according to section historian Bob Barnett. Allen’s 105 career touchdowns are fifth-best and last week he became the 22nd player in section history to reach 5,000 career rushing yards (5,052).
Edgar Segura of Mendota holds the section career TD records with 57 in a season and 137 in his career.
Milestones
More superlatives recorded by Barnett:
▪ Senior Joseph Garcia of Strathmore had 13 carries for 125 yards and had four touchdowns to push his career total to 91 touchdowns, tying him for sixth-best in section history, and he has 4,890 career yards.
▪ Strathmore kicker Osvaldo Ibbarra made a section-record 66 extra points in the regular season.
▪ Mt. Whitney wide receiver Jonathan Hadley tied a school record with 14 receptions for 165 yards.
▪ Clovis West senior kicker Eli Riofrio was 6 of 6 on extra points and kicked his 10th field goal for the season. He has 24 for his career which ties the school record. Riofrio has made 43 of 45 conversions for the season and 88 for his career.
Anthony Galaviz: 559-441-6042, @agalaviz_TheBee
Central Section football playoffs
All games at 7 p.m.
DIVISION I
Nov. 9 opening round
No. 11 Clovis North at No. 6 Edison, Sunnyside Stadium
No. 10 Ridgeview at No. 7 Clovis
No. 9 Sanger at No. 8 Bullard, McLane Stadium
Byes: No. 1 Central, No. 2 Clovis West, No. 3 Buchanan, No. 4 Liberty-Bakersfield, No. 5 Bakersfield
DIVISION II
Nov. 9 quarterfinals
No. 8 Sunnyside at No. 1 Tulare Union
No. 7 Lemoore at No. 2 Dinuba
No. 6 Redwood at No. 3 El Diamante, Groppetti Community Stadium
No. 5 Frontier at No. 4 Garces
DIVISION III
Nov. 9 opening round
No. 13 Fresno at No. 4 Independence
No. 12 South at No. 5 Tehachapi
No. 11 Chowchilla at No. 6 Kingsburg
No. 10 West at No. 7 Highland
No. 9 Mt. Whitney at No. 8 Madera
Byes: No. 1 Tulare Western, No. 2 San Joaquin Memorial, No. 3 Bakersfield Christian
DIVISION IV
Nov. 9 opening round
No. 12 Monache at No. 5 Liberty-Madera Ranchos
No. 11 East Bakersfield at No. 6 North
No. 10 Wasco at No. 7 Delano
No. 9 Exeter at No. 8 Roosevelt, Sunnyside Stadium, Friday Nov. 10
Byes: No. 1 Golden West, No. 2 Central Valley Christian, No. 3 Selma, No. 4 Kerman
DIVISION V
Nov. 9 opening round
No. 11 Lindsay at No. 6 Coalinga
No. 10 Bishop at No. 7 Hanford West
No. 9 Fowler at No. 8 Kennedy
Byes: No. 1 Caruthers, No. 2 Shafter, No. 3 Firebaugh, No. 4 Yosemite, No. 5 Immanuel
DIVISION VI
Nov. 9 quarterfinals
No. 8 Orange Cove at No. 1 Strathmore
No. 7 Sierra Pacific at No. 2 Rosamond
No. 6 California City at No. 3 Riverdale
No. 5 Orosi at No. 4 Granite Hills
8-MAN
Nov. 9 quarterfinals
No. 6 Desert at No. 3 Laton
No. 5 Alpaugh at No. 4 Riverdale Christian
Byes: No. 1 Fresno Christian, No. 2 Trona
This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Sunnyside and Tulare Union meet for fourth year in a row to open Central Section playoffs."