Fresno-area high school football: Memorial celebrates rout and NBA alums; top-5 team falls
The San Joaquin Memorial High football team made famous alums Quincy Pondexter and twins Brook and Robin Lopez proud Friday evening.
Memorial, ranked No. 4 by The Bee, coasted to a 47-0 victory over Washington Union.
Brandon Ramirez had two rushing touchdowns and Mikey Bell threw two touchdowns for Memorial.
During halftime, Memorial retired Pondexter’s and the Lopezes’ basketball jerseys at midfield. All three went on from SJM to NBA careers; the twins are still active and Pondexter retired after a life-threatening injury and is an assistant coach at his college alma mater, University of Washington.
Brook Lopez brought the Larry O’Brien NBA championship trophy. He helped the Milwaukee Bucks to the title over the Phoenix Suns.
Brook Lopez had a photo-op in the student section and many touched the trophy.
The trio played together, graduating in 2006.
Bullard 35, Clovis 12
It was the Jayden Davis show at McLane Stadium.
Davis finished with three touchdowns, leading the No. 12 Knights to the win over the No. 5 Cougars.
He got Bullard on the board first when he scored on an 89-yard flea flicker. His second touchdown came on a reverse for a 64-yard touchdown in the third quarter. His other touchdown was on a jump ball pass play for 30 yards.
Daizon Allen had an interception in the fourth quarter on the Knights’ 5-yard line.
Clovis East 28, Tulare Union 0
The 19th-ranked Timberwolves picked up their second shutout this season.
Ty Miller threw for three touchdowns and Maddox Merlo had four receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Clovis East shut out Atwater 34-0 in Week 1.
The Timberwolves will next face Sanger in a game that was rescheduled from earlier in the season.
Edison 40, Dinuba 20
The Tigers built a 20-0 lead in the third quarter highlighted by a 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Caleb Ball in the second quarter, in the win over No. 20 Dinuba.
The Tigers extended the lead to 40-14 on Myles Lee’s 56-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
It was the first career coaching victory for Mike Stamps.
Game balls
Jayden Davis scored three times in Bullard’s victory over Clovis.
Dayton Tafoya threw for four touchdowns in Central’s 51-0 win over Ridgeview.
Andrew Camarillo had 13 carries for 187 yards and three touchdowns in Orosi’s 49-8 win over Avenal.
Jaden Hernandez scored on a 7-yard run in the second overtime, lifting Mission Oak to a 20-14 win over Exeter.
Trace Jackson had 13 carries for 166 yards and a touchdown in Kingsburg’s 24-6 victory over Porrterville on Thursday.
Jayson Hernandez was 6 of 6 on extra points, kicked a 19-yard field goal and had two interceptions, including one for a 31-yard touchdown in Tulare Western’s 45-7 victory over Mt. Whitney on Thursday.
Maddox Merlo finished with four receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns for Clovis East.
Caleb Ball scored on a 99-yard fumble recovery in Edison’s win over Dinuba.
Madsen McKay had a 64-yard touchdown on third-and-22 in Clovis North’s 24-21 win over Redwood.
Danny Olivera had 22 carries for 256 yards and five touchdowns in Firebaugh’s 56-12 win over Kerman.
Tom Flores flips coin ahead of Sanger game
Friday was the beginning of a Sanger weekend celebration for Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Flores.
Prior to the game vs. Kennedy, the legendary Raiders coach was brought to midfield for the coin toss.
The Apaches won the toss and went on to defeat Kennedy 28-14 behind Ashton Rodriquez’s three rushing touchdowns.
Flores wished the players luck and waved to the crowd. In tribute to his Raiders career, the home crowd wore all black.
A celebration took place Saturday in downtown Sanger for Flores.
Player of the Week winner
Ah’marion Gaines-Smith of Central is the winner of The Bee’s Player of the Week poll for Week 3.
Gaines-Smith picked up 66.8% of the votes, finishing ahead of Micah Spomer of Kingsburg (23.2%).
Rounding out the top five are Ethan Vu of Sunnyside (5.4%), Tyler Patrick of Clovis West (3.2%), TJ Hall of San Joaquin Memorial (0.4%) and Nate Johnson of Clovis (0.4%).
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Top 25 fared
1. Buchanan (3-1) bye
2. Liberty-Bakersfield (3-1) Saturday at Bishop Diego
3. Central (4-0) defeated Ridgeview 54-0
4. San Joaquin Memorial (4-0) defeated Washington Union 47-0
5. Clovis (4-1) lost to Bullard 35-12
6. Centennial (4-0) did not play
7. Garces (3-2) defeated Tehachapi 48-21
8. Frontier (3-1) defeated Independence 47-0
9. Hanford (2-0) defeated Madera 35-7
10. Clovis West (2-2) lost to Turlock 23-10
11. Kingsburg (3-1) defeated Porterville 24-6
12. Bullard (2-3) defeated Clovis 35-12
13. Mission Prep (3-0) did not play
14. Central Valley Christian (4-1) defeated Immanuel 28-0
15. Sanger (2-2) defeated Kennedy 28-14
16. Nipomo (3-0) defeated Morro Bay 48-35
17. Reedley (4-0) defeated Selma 27-10
18. Bakersfield Christian (2-1) did not play
19. Clovis East (4-0) defeated Tulare Union 28-0
20. Dinuba (3-2) lost to Edison 40-20
21. Tulare Western (3-1) defeated Mt. Whitney 45-7
22. Paso Robles (2-2) defeated Atascadero 21-6
23. Mission Oak (4-0) defeated Exeter 20-14 (2OT)
24. Lemoore (3-1) did not play
25. Clovis North (3-2) defeated Redwood 24-21
