Fresno-area high school football: Big plays decide San Joaquin Memorial-Bullard showdown
Nothing surprises San Joaquin Memorial High football coach Anthony Goston about his defensive players.
But what about when his Panthers faced a goal line stand? Not once, not twice, but four times in a row?
That is what happened Friday evening at Chukchansi Park when Bullard had the ball at the SJM 1-yard line looking to break a 10-10 tie in the fourth quarter.
The Knights, however, could never get in the end zone and were stuffed on fourth-and-goal.
On the ensuing Memorial drive, Brandon Ramirez ran for an 82-yard touchdown, helping The Bee’s fourth-ranked Panthers to a 24-17 victory over No. 8 Bullard.
“I’m just in awe of their effort,” Goston said of his defensive players. “They just gave maximum effort. They were dialed into the call and they gave effort and they made the play.
“They were going in to take the lead and they had four downs to punch it in and the first couple inside didn’t work and I knew they were going to run outside to their side so we brought some pressure off the edge so when they ran their toss off their fly sweep, we’d be in a good spot and they did and we were there to make the play and we got the ball back.”
Ramirez added a 6-yard touchdown with 3:11 remaining to put the game away for good.
He finished with three touchdowns for the Panthers.
“I was trying to make a big play for my team,” Ramirez said of his 82-yard touchdown. “We needed it and the line blocked great and I thank the coaches for trusting me.”
Hanford 57, Clovis West 29
The sixth-ranked Bullpups are proving to be a scoring machine.
Hanford jumped out to a 16-7 first quarter lead and had a 30-14 halftime lead over No. 13 Clovis West.
Hanford never looked back and rolled to an impressive victory at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The matchup, rare for Hanford against Tri-River Athletic Conference competition, was set after each school saw its league game canceled.
In five games this season, the Bullpups have scored 219 points while giving up 75 points.
Clovis 42, Clovis North 28
It was the Nate Johnson show at Lamonica Stadium.
The University of Utah commit finished the game with two touchdowns passes and ran for two in the ninth-ranked Cougars’ victory over the No. 23 Broncos.
Johnson had 178 passing yards and ran for 100 yards.
Clovis could cause havoc in the Tri-River Athletic Conference standings next week.
The Cougars will host No. 1 Buchanan at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
A win by Clovis would possibly give the TRAC a three-way tie.
Game balls
Trent Calvert had two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in Dos Palos’ 35-0 win over Tranquillity.
Ashton Chalabian passed for two TDs and ran for two in Kerman’s 40-0 victory over Yosemite
K.J. Daniels rushed for 155 yards and four TDs in in the first half in Tulare Union’s 47-7 victory over Delano.
Hector Davila had an interception return for a 61-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter in Immanuel’s 14-13 win over Liberty-Madera Ranchos.
Ulysses Diaz finished with two rushing TDs as Roosevelt defeated McLane 28-14 in the Battle of Cedar.
Collin Hirschkorn completed 9 of 16 for 236 yards and a TD in Caruthers’ 42-14 victory over Minarets.
Trace Jackson had an 11-yard touchdown from Micah Spomer in the third quarter to give Kingsburg a 12-8 victory over Central Valley Christian.
Nate Johnson threw two TDs and had two rushing TDs in Clovis’ 42-28 win over Clovis North.
Robert Johnson had two interceptions including the game-sealing pick in Buchanan’s 24-17 win over Central. Michael Runnels took the opening kickoff 99 yards for a TD.
CJ Jones had four TDs (two receiving, interception, punt return) in Sunnyside’s 72-3 win over Hoover.
Andrew Moench had two rushing TDs, including the go-ahead score late in the third quarter of Lemoore’s 34-30 victory over El Diamante.
Danny Olivera rushed for 323 yards and four TDs to lead Firebaugh past Linden 56-26.
Sebastian Olivera had eight carries for 138 yards and two TDs in Dinuba’s 61-14 win over Selma.
Brandon Ramirez ran for three scores, helping San Joaquin Memorial to a 24-17 win over Bullard.
Lawrence Stell had a rushing TD and passed for one to lead Washington Union past Chowchilla 14-0.
Ryan Warkentin had 14 carries for 215 yards, two TDs and had three receptions for 68 yards and a TD in Reedley’s 38-0 win over Fresno.
Player of the Week winner
Cayden Muir of Hanford is The Bee’s Player of the Week winner for the second straight week.
Muir received 16,028 votes (53%) in the Week 6 fan poll to finish ahead of Vincent Cordoba of Clovis North who had 13,446 votes (45%).
Imari Conley of Central was third with 491 votes (2%).
The Week 7 poll launches Monday.
Top 25 fared
1. Buchanan (6-1) defeated Central 24-17
2. Liberty-Bakersfield (5-2) defeated Centennial 51-21
3. Central (5-1) lost to Buchanan 24-17
4. San Joaquin Memorial (6-0) defeated Bullard 24-17
5. Frontier (4-1) game vs. Garces canceled
6. Hanford (5-0) defeated Clovis West 57-29
7. Garces (3-3) game vs. Frontier canceled
8. Bullard (3-4) lost to San Joaquin Memorial 24-17
9. Clovis (5-2) defeated Clovis North 42-28
10. Centennial (4-2) lost to Liberty-Bakersfield 51-21
11. Kingsburg (5-2) defeated Central Valley Christian 12-8
12. Mission Prep (6-0) defeated Santa Maria 28-7
13. Clovis West (2-4) lost to Hanford 57-29
14. Sanger (5-2) defeated Madera 35-7
15. Central Valley Christian (5-2) lost to Kingsburg 12-8
16. Nipomo (6-1) lost to Paso Robles 19-12
17. Reedley (6-0) defeated Fresno 38-0
18. Lemoore (5-1) defeated El Diamante 34-30
19. Paso Robles (4-2) defeated Nipomo 19-12
20. Mission Oak (6-0) defeated Monache 27-26
21. Bakersfield Christian (4-2) defeated West 49-19
22. Tulare Western (5-2) defeated Porterville 35-6
23. Clovis North (4-3) lost to Clovis 42-28
24. Clovis East (4-2) game at Clovis West canceled
25. Dinuba (4-3) defeated Selma 61-14
