Central Section football playoffs: Wild ending between Bullard and St. Joseph in D-II
Bullard High football coach Don Arax wanted no part of overtime against St. Joseph.
So he called for a two-point conversion late in Friday’s Central Section Division II first-round playoff game.
Quarterback Roland Russo converted on a keeper to give No. 1-seeded Bullard a 29-28 victory over No. 16 St. Joseph at McLane Stadium.
“We had momentum coming into that drive,” Russo said. “I didn’t even know we were going for two and I was getting ready to hold for PAT and they said two. I heard QB sneak and I knew I had to give all my heart for that and I did it for my guys.”
Bullard got in position for the two-point conversion when Russo found Daizon Allen for a 14-yard touchdown to trail 28-27 with two minutes remaining..
Why go for two? Arax had an easy explanation.
“I didn’t think we can stop them,” he said. “We were going for two because I didn’t want to get into an overtime game. They are massive. We haven’t seen that kind of size in the Valley this year at all and we played the top teams. Hats off to them. That’s a quality football team.”
Bullard will host Clovis West at a site to be determined next Friday.
Clovis West 28, Clovis East 14
The ninth-seeded Golden Eagles scored 28 unanswered points to pick up the win in Division II.
D’ante Benjamin scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 20-14 lead. He added his third touchdown when he scored on a 31-yard run in the third.
The Timberwolves had led 14-0, but Clovis West tied the game minutes before halftime when Tyler Patrick found Tytus Khajavi for a 21-yard touchdown.
Firebaugh 42, Sunnyside 22
The No. 9-seeded Eagles dominated from start to finish, led by Danny Olivera and defensive end Jose Davila in Division III.
Olivera had 37 carries for 234 yards and six touchdowns to power Firebaugh. Eagles quarterback Austin Garcia completed 10 of 14 for 224 yards and wide receiver Edgar Cuevas had seven receptions for 158 yards.
Davila did it all on defense with seven tackles, four sacks, five tackle for loss, four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
Former Firebaugh High star and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was watching afar when the Eagles posted updates on Twitter that generated many likes from Bills Mafia, the Buffalo fan base.
Game balls
Maxx Bakker passed for two scores to lead Central Valley Christian to a 31-6 victory over El Diamante in Division II.
D’ante Benjamin ran for three scores in Clovis West’s 28-14 win over Clovis East in Division II.
Firebaugh defensive end Jose Davila had seven tackles, four sacks, five tackle for loss, four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles in the Eagles’ 42-22 victory over Sunnyside in Division III.
Trace Jackson had four touchdowns as Kingsburg defeated Dos Palos 64-13 in Division II.
Carlos Moreno had 17 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Strathmore’s 21-14 victory over Reedley.
AJ Moriado ran for three scores, helping Dinuba past Edison 51-27 in Division III.
Rudy Navarro had four touchdowns — three passing and one rushing — in leading Mission Oak to a 28-24 win over Redwood in Division II.
Vincent Oberti had a rushing touchdown and made 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in Liberty-Madera Ranchos’ 27-0 win over Chavez in Division V.
Roland Russo’s quarterback sneak for a two-point conversion gave Bullard a 29-28 win over St. Joseph in Division II.
Washington Union quarterback Lawrence Stell led the Panthers to a 28-21 win over Kennedy when he hit Noah Taylor for a 20-yard touchdown with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter. The pair also connected for the tying touchdown to start the fourth quarter.
Player of the Week winner
Jr. Cervantes of Woodlake is The Bee’s Player of the Week for Week 10.
Cervantes totaled 50% of the votes (13,640) to finish ahead of Cayden Muir of Hanford who received 11,387 votes (42%). Coming in third is Caleb Irigoyen of Kingsburg who picked up 1,217 votes (4%).
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), Cayden Muir of Hanford (Week 5 and Week 6), Ashton Chalabian of Kerman (Week 7), Roland Russo of Bullard (Week 8) and Gaines-Smith (Week 9).
Central Section playoff scores/schedule
Thursday, Nov. 4
Division III
Firebaugh 42, Sunnyside 22
Paso Robles 24, Tulare Union 21
Division VI
East Bakersfield 36, Orange Cove 21
Friday, Nov. 5
Division II
Bakersfield 48, Tulare Western 13
Bullard 29, St. Joseph 28
Wasco 28, Centennial 21
Clovis West 28, Clovis East 14
Frontier 24, Sanger 7
Kingsburg 64, Dos Palos 13
Mission Prep 21, Lemoore 12
Mission Oak 28, Redwood 24
Division III
Arroyo Grande 49, Madera 21
Bakersfield Christian 50, Stockdale 6
Central Valley Christian 31, El Diamante 6
Dinuba 51, Edison 27
Strathmore 21, Reedley 14
Washington Union 28, Kennedy 21
Division IV
Tehachapi 28, Bishop 14
Monache 25, Exeter 8
Foothill 22, West 14
Highland 15, Porterville 6
Independence 41, Fowler 7
Mendota 28, Madera South 0
Nipomo 34, Mt. Whitney 7
Roosevelt vs. Corcoran, canceled (Roosevelt advances)
Division V
Boron 32, Orosi 17
Coalinga 29, McLane 21
Immanuel 16, Kerman 12
Liberty-Madera Ranchos 27, Chavez 0
Righetti 28, Atascadero 6
Ridgeview 22, San Luis Obispo 14, OT
Shafter 35, Riverdale 28
North 40, Templeton 22
Division VI
Caruthers 15, Chowchilla 14
Delano 45, Farmersville 21
Lindsay 13, Kern Valley 6
Woodlake 21, Torres 13
8-man
Fresno Christian 41, Laton 6
Lone Pine at Mojave, Saturday
Riverdale Christian 54, Sierra 36
Mammoth 63, Trona 14
Nov. 12 (7 p.m. unless noted)
Division I
No. 8 Clovis North at No. 1 Buchanan, 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 Clovis at No. 4 Liberty-Bakersfield
No. 6 Hanford at No. 3 Central
No. 7 Garces at No. 2 San Joaquin Memorial
Division II
No. 9 Clovis West at No. 1 Bullard
No. 5 Mission Oak at No. 4 Kingsburg
No. 14 Wasco at No. 6 Frontier
No. 10 Mission Prep at No. 2 Bakersfield
Division III
No. 9 Firebaugh at No. 1 Central Valley Christian
No. 5 Washington Union at No. 4 Arroyo Grande
No. 11 Paso Robles at No. 3 Dinuba
No. 7 Bakersfield Christian at No. 2 Strathmore
Division IV
No. 8 Highland at No. 1 Nipomo
No. 13 Mendota at No. 5 Foothill
No. 14 Monache at No. 6 Independence
No. 15 Tehachapi at No. 7 Roosevelt
Division V
No. 8 Liberty-Madera Ranchos at No. 1 Immanuel
No. 5 Shafter at No. 4 Boron
No. 6 Coalinga at No. 3 Righetti
No. 15 Ridgeview at No. 10 North
Division VI
No. 8 Lindsay at No. 1 Taft
No. 5 Delano at No. 4 Woodlake
No. 6 Caruthers at No. 3 Pioneer Valley
No. 7 East Bakersfield at No. 2 Morro Bay
8-Man
No. 5 Riverdale Christian at No. 1 Fresno Christian
No. 3 Mojave/No. 6 Lone Pine winner at No. 2 Mammoth
This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 10:14 AM.
