Fresno-area high school football: Big plays, OT, an upset, game balls highlight Week 8
Buchanan High defended its No. 1 ranking in The Bee’s Central Section football Top 25 with another close win over a top-10 opponent.
Jayden Mandal led the Bears on a long scoring drive, capped by Caden Rodgers’ 1-yard run with 3:57 remaining in a 33-24 victory over No. 8 Clovis at Lamonica Stadium on Friday.
Buchanan defensive back Jerry Rangel sealed the game with an interception with 2:28 remaining and Mandal went in victory formation.
“I’m very thankful for our defense, they played hard tonight,” Bears coach Matt Giordano said. “There’s some simple things we can fix going onto next week and we need to as we continue the season. I’m proud of them. They fought hard and they finished and that’s what we preach all the time.”
The Bears had a 27-7 lead at halftime before the Cougars reeled off 17 unanswered points.
Buchanan (7-1) now has the Tri-River Athletic Conference title in sights going 3-0 with games remaining against Clovis North and Clovis East. The Bears were coming off a 24-17 victory over Central last week.
“Every game in the TRAC is not easy,” Giordano said. “We’re going to have to learn from this and we’re going to have to move forward because we have Clovis North next week. They are playing well and coached well and we’re going to have to make sure we’re ready. Where we’re at in the season, we have to learn to move forward. We cannot make the same mistakes twice.”
Other Week 8 highlights:
Redwood 24, Hanford 21
Gavin House made a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter for the winning points in Redwood’s West Yosemite League upset victory.
No. 5 Hanford got a late touchdown with 2 minutes remaining to trail 24-21.
It was back and forth early when the Bullpups led 14-7 in the first quarter.
Redwood responded well in the second quarter thanks to the Kolby Howard and Francisco Alvarez connection. Howard had two touchdown receptions in the quarter, including the go-ahead score on a 32-yard play.
Kingsburg 42, Dinuba 41
Max Warkentin found Conner McFall for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds remaining for No. 10 Kingsburg to tie Dinuba.
Several plays later in overtime, Micah Spomer scored on a 12-yard run for a 42-35 lead.
The 24th-ranked Emperors responded with their own touchdown on Hector Gonzalez’s 20-yard reception from Casimiro Barragan.
After taking a timeout, Dinuba went for a two-point conversion and the win.
Barragan fired a pass into the end zone but the ball was knocked away by Daniel Ortega to wrap up the win for the Vikings.
Ortega also had two touchdowns.
Sunnyside 34, McLane 7
Sunnyside led from start to finish to keep its North Yosemite League title hopes alive with a convincing win over McLane at McLane Stadium.
“I think once we got going, we had to find a little bit of a rhythm,” co-head coach Tom Wilson said. “They did a great job of holding the ball, keeping the offense off the field. They put together a little of a game plan, it was a switch for them, something that we hadn’t practiced all week and they executed well. It just took us a little bit to get going and it was good to see them read their keys, their responsibilities and do the things (right). They were physical, the made tackles, so we’re real pleased with all the effort.”
Sunnyside has five freshmen, including quarterback Tanner Wilson, the son of Tom Wilson.
The Wildcats improved to 6-1 and 3-0 in the NYL. Sunnyside has a home game against Reedley on Oct. 28 that will likely decide the NYL.
Game balls
Andrew Camarillo ran for three scores in Orosi’s 42-19 victory over Minarets.
Ty Pele-Chambers finished with three touchdown passes in Lemoore’s 42-20 victory over Golden West.
Nahzae Cox had four first-half touchdowns (kickoff return, two receiving and punt return) in a 33-21 victory for Fresno over Hoover.
Victor Espinoza passed for two scores and ran for two as Tulare Union rolled to a 50-14 victory over Porterville.
Michael Iriye had 24 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns and threw for another and had 98 receiving yards in Mission Oak’s 28-7 win over Tulare Western.
Beau Green threw for three touchdowns, leading Madera past Edison 34-14.
Kolby Howard had two touchdown receptions to help Redwood to a 24-21 victory over Hanford.
Abraham Ladino had 30 carries for 185 yards and a touchdown in undefeated Dos Palos’ 24-21 victory over Firebaugh. Broncos safety Derek Von Allman had an interception with 2:06 remaining to seal the game.
Andrew Lopez had 22 carries for 207 yards and three touchdowns in Chowchilla’s 47-0 victory over Yosemite.
Jayden Mandal threw for three touchdowns in Buchanan’s 33-24 win over Clovis.
Carlos Moreno finished with 281 rushing yards and four touchdowns in Strathmore’s 50-21 victory over Corcoran.
Daniel Ortega’s pass breakup on a two-point conversion try gave Kingsburg a 42-41 win over Dinuba in OT.
Roland Russo threw for three touchdowns, guiding Bullard to a 42-21 victory over Sanger.
Ryan Warkentin had 20 carries for 212 yards and five touchdowns in Reedley’s 42-21 win over Roosevelt.
Player of the Week winner
Ashton Chalabian of Kerman is The Bee’s Player of the Week winner for Week 7.
Chalabian received 24,924 votes (61%) to get the win.
Coming in second is Noah Noyola of Hanford who finished with 12,465 votes (31%).
Chris Mejia of Mendota finished third with 1,830 votes (4%) followed by Brandon Ramirez of San Joaquin Memorial (581, 1%).
Chalabian joins past winners Tanner Wilson of Sunnyside (Week 0), Beau Green of Madera (Week 1), Andrew Camarillo of Orosi (Week 2), Ah’marion Gaines-Smith of Central (Week 3), Caleb Hall of Edison (Week 4) and Cayden Muir of Hanford (Week 5 and Week 6).
Top 25 fared
1. Buchanan (7-1) defeated Clovis 33-24
2. Liberty-Bakersfield (5-2) game canceled vs. Frontier
3. San Joaquin Memorial (7-0) defeated Madera South 47-3
4. Central (5-1) game vs. Clovis East canceled
5. Hanford (5-1) lost to Redwood 24-21
6. Frontier (4-1) game vs. Liberty-Bakersfield canceled
7. Garces (4-3) defeated Bakersfield 21-10
8. Clovis (5-3) lost to Buchanan 33-24
9. Bullard (4-4) defeated Sanger 42-21
10. Kingsburg (6-2) defeated Dinuba 42-41 (OT)
11. Mission Prep (7-0) defeated Morro Bay 60-3
12. Centennial (5-2) defeated Stockdale 41-23
13. Sanger (5-3) lost to Bullard 42-21
14. Clovis West (2-5) lost to Clovis North 28-7
15. Reedley (7-0) defeated Roosevelt 42-21
16. Lemoore (6-1) defeated Golden West 42-20
17. Central Valley Christian (6-2) defeated Hanford West 49-20
18. Paso Robles (4-3) lost to Pioneer Valley 6-0
19. Mission Oak (7-0) defeated Tulare Western 28-7
20. Bakersfield Christian (5-2) defeated Tehachapi 41-19
21. Tulare Western (5-3) lost to Mission Oak 28-7
22. Nipomo (6-1) game vs. St. Joseph canceled
23. Clovis East (4-2) game at Central canceled
24. Dinuba (4-4) lost to Kingsburg 42-41 (OT)
25. Clovis North (5-3) defeated Clovis West 28-7
