High school football: Is there a new team atop The Fresno Bee Top 25 rankings?
Clovis North is the Central Section’s new No. 1 high school football team, according to The Fresno Bee’s Top 25 rankings, after a 23-7 win over state-ranked JSerra Catholic-San Juan Capistrano.
While No. 2 Liberty-Bakersfield handled No. 8 Central 35-14, the Broncos’ run in nonleague play has been a bit more impressive, capped by the win over JSerra. It was Liberty and Clovis North 1-2 in the rankings a week ago.
The Broncos now are the team to beat and will look to hold on to the top spot in a Tri-River Athletic Conference showdown against No. 3 Clovis East on Sept. 29.
In other movement in the rankings, Sanger rolled past Centennial with a strong defense and moved up two spots to No. 5. The Golden Hawks drop to No. 8.
Central drops two spots to No. 7 after losing to the Patriots.
Top 25 rankings
1. Clovis North (5-0)
Last week: defeated JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 23-7
Pvs: 2
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Clovis East, 7 p.m. (Lamonica Stadium)
2. Liberty-Bakersfield (4-1)
Last week: defeated Central 35-14
Pvs: 1
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Garces, 7:30 p.m.
3. Clovis East (5-0)
Last week: defeated Kerman 55-20
Pvs: 3
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Clovis North, 7 p.m. (Lamonica Stadium)
4. Clovis West (4-1)
Last week: defeated Edison 35-6
Pvs: 4
Up next: Sept. 29 at Buchanan, 7 p.m.
5. Sanger (4-1)
Last week: defeated Centennial 21-7
Pvs: 7
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Garza, 7:30 p.m. (Tom Flores Stadium)
6. Frontier (5-0)
Last week: defeated Independence 49-13
Pvs: 8
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Ridgeview, 7:30 p.m.
7. Central (4-1)
Last week: lost to Liberty-Bakersfield 35-14
Pvs: 5
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Clovis, 7 p.m. (Koligian Stadium)
8. Centennial (3-2)
Last week: lost to Sanger 21-7
Pvs: 6
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Stockdale, 7:30 p.m.
9. St. Joseph (3-1)
Last week: defeated Nipomo 47-0
Pvs: 11
Up next: Sept. 22 at Arroyo Grande, 7 p.m.
10. Kingsburg (4-0)
Last week: DNP
Pvs: 9
Up next: Sept. 22 at Tulare Union, 7:30 p.m.
11. Clovis (4-1)
Last week: defeated Bullard 35-28
Pvs: 12
Up next: Sept. 29 at Central, 7 p.m.
12. Lemoore (2-2)
Last week: DNP
Pvs: 10
Up next: Sept. 22 at South, 7:30 p.m.
13. Hanford (4-1)
Last week: defeated Redwood 47-28
Pvs: 14
Up next: Sept. 29 at Dinuba, 7:30 p.m.
14. Porterville (4-0)
Last week: defeated Highland 48-0
Pvs: 13
Up next: Sept. 22 at Exeter, 7:30 p.m.
15. Buchanan (2-3)
Last week: defeated San Joaquin Memorial 31-3
Pvs: 15
Up next: Sept. 29 vs. Clovis West, 7 p.m.
16. Central Valley Christian (4-1)
Last week: defeated Mission Oak 63-38
Pvs: 16
Up next: Sept. 29 at Kerman, 7:30 p.m.
17. Kennedy (4-1)
Last week: defeated Taft 44-0
Pvs: 17
Up next: Sept. 22 at Delano, 7:30 p.m.
18. Shafter (5-0)
Last week: defeated Chavez 33-7
Pvs: 19
Up next: Sept 22. at Taft, 7:30 p.m.
19. Sunnyside (3-1)
Last week: defeated Madera South 60-7
Pvs: 18
Up next: Sept. 22 vs. Roosevelt, 7:30 p.m. (Mclane Stadium)
20. Bakersfield (2-2)
Last week: DNP
Pvs: 20
Up next: Sept. 22 at Edison, 7 p.m. (Sunnyside Stadium)
21. Garces (2-3)
Last week: defeated Monache 47-13
Pvs: 22
Up next: Sept. 28 at Liberty-Bakersfield, 7:30 p.m.
22. Stockdale (3-2)
Last week: defeated El Diamante 22-14
Pvs: 23
Up next: Sept. 29 at Centennial, 7:30 p.m.
23. Mission Oak (4-1)
Last week: lost to Central Valley Christian 63-38
Pvs: 21
Up next: Sept. 29 at Tulare Western, 7:30 p.m. (Bob Mathias Stadium)
24. Arroyo Grande (3-1)
Last week: defeated Lompoc 41-23
Pvs: 25
Up next: Sept. 22 vs. St. Joseph, 7 p.m.
25. Tulare Union (3-1)
Last week: DNP
Pvs: 24
Up next: Sept. 22 vs. Kingsburg, 7:30 p.m. (Bob Mathias Stadium)
Next 15: Atascadero (4-0), San Luis Obispo (4-1), Mission Prep (3-1), Tehachapi (5-0), Redwood (2-3), Madera (4-1), Tulare Western (2-2), Coalinga (4-0), Garza (2-3), Torres (2-2), Santa Ynez (2-2), Dos Palos (3-1), Highland (2-3), Bakersfield Christian (1-3), Washington Union (1-2)
Week 5 predictions
The Bee predicts Tulare Union to defeat Kingsburg in The Bee’s Game of the Week at Bob Mathias Stadium.
Coalinga is predicted to beat Washington and Sunnyside to defeat Roosevelt
The Bee also has Dos Palos over Chowchilla and Sanger West beating Madera South.
Week 4 scores
Sept. 14
North Yosemite League
McLane 54, Fresno 7
Sunnyside 60, Madera South 7
East Sequoia League
Corcoran 65, Granite Hills 14
Ocean
San Luis Obispo 49, Cabrillo 37
Mountain
Mission Prep 41, Santa Ynez 6
Nonleague
Buchanan 31, San Joaquin Memorial 3
Golden Valley-Bakersfield 35, East Bakersfield 0
Sept. 15
North Yosemite League
Sanger West 33, Hoover 16
Torres 35, Roosevelt 14
Northwest Sequoia League
Chowchilla 53, Yosemite 6
Minarets 42, Riverdale 0
Caruthers 56, Liberty-Madera Ranchos 26
Fowler 60, Parlier 24
East Sequoia League
Woodlake 27, Linsday 0
Strathmore 23, Orange Cove 20
Orosi 54, Farmersville 8
Mountain
Arroyo Grande 41, Lompoc 23
Mission Prep 41, Santa Ynez 6
Paso Robles 21, Righetti 14
St. Joseph 47, Nipomo 0
Ocean League
Atascadero 28, Santa Maria 13
Pioneer Valley 42, Morro Bay 14
South Sequoia League
Kennedy 44, Taft 0
Shafter 33, Chavez 7
Wasco 49, McFarland 8
Nonleague
Liberty-Bakersfield 35, Central 14
Clovis East 55, Kerman 20
Clovis West 35, Edison 6
Dinuba 42, Washington 26
Templeton 42, West 0
Clovis 35, Bullard 28
Sanger 21, Centennial 7
Hanford 47, Redwood 28
Immanuel 26, Firebaugh 22
Selma 27, Reedley 21
Del Oro-Bakersfield 49, Madera 0
Avenal 20, Hanford West 10
Coalinga 20, Garza 15
Tranquillity 38, Sierra 20
Central Valley Christian 63, Mission Oak 38
Porterville 48, Highland 0
Frontier 49, Independence 13
Rosamond 30, Foothill 13
Stockdale 22, El Diamante 14
Tehachapi 48, Arvin 7
Kern Valley 47, Mira Monte 6
Intersectional
Clovis North 23, JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 7
Rio Hondo Prep 42, Boron 6
8 man
Laton 68, Trinity Christian 0
Mammoth 49, Lone Pine 32
Alpaugh 42, Mojave 30
Lancaster Baptist 43, Trona 12
Sept. 16
Nonleague
Garces 47, Monache 13
Intersectional
Ontario Christian 57, Bishop 7
Central Sierra League
Fresno Christian 46, Riverdale Christian 36
Week 5 schedule
Thursday
North Yosemite League
Torres at McLane, 7:30 p.m.
Nonleague
Tulare Western at Bakersfield Christian, 7:30 p.m.
East Bakersfield at Mira Monte, 7:30 p.m.
Friday
North Yosemite League
Fresno vs. Hoover, 7 p.m. (Ratcliffe Stadium)
Madera South vs. Sanger West, 7:30 p.m. (Tom Flores Stadium)
Sunnyside vs. Roosevelt, 7:30 p.m. (McLane Stadium)
East Sequoia League
Woodlake at Corcoran, 7 p.m.
Orange Cove at Granite Hills, 7:15 p.m.
Lindsay at Orosi, 7:15 p.m.
Farmersville at Strathmore, 7:15 p.m.
Mountain League
Paso Robles at Lompoc, 7 p.m.
Nipomo at Mission Prep, 7 p.m.
Righetti at Santa Ynez, 7 p.m.
St. Joseph at Arroyo Grande, 7 p.m.
Ocean League
Cabrillo at Pioneer Valley, 7 p.m.
Atascadero at San Luis Obispo, 7 p.m.
Templeton at Santa Maria, 7 p.m.
South Sequoia League
Chavez at McFarland, 7:30 p.m.
Kennedy at Delano, 7:30 p.m.
Shafter at Taft, 7:30 p.m.
Nonleague
Immanuel at Mendota, 7 p.m.
Mt. Whitney at Reedley, 7 p.m.
Dos Palos at Chowchilla, 7 p.m.
Porterville at Exeter, 7:15 p.m.
Kern Valley at Sierra Pacific, 7:15 p.m. (Neighbor Bowl)
Kingsburg at Tulare Union, 7:30 p.m. (Bob Mathias Stadium)
Bakersfield vs. Edison, 7:30 p.m. (Sunnyside Stadium)
Washington Union at Coalinga, 7:30 p.m.
Lemoore at South, 7:30 p.m.
Tranquillity at Minarets, 7:30 p.m.
West at Arvin, 7:30 p.m.
Golden Valley-Bakersfield at Wasco, 7:30 p.m.
North at Ridgeview, 7:30 p.m.
Tehachapi at Golden West, 7:30 p.m.
Intersectional
Rim of the World-Lake Arrowhead at Bishop, 7 p.m.
Colton at Rosamond, 7 p.m.
California City at Ganesha-Pomona, 7 p.m.
St. Anthony-Long Beach at Desert, 7 p.m.
Hi-Lo (8-man)
Mammoth at Mojave, 6 p.m.
Trona at Frazier Mountain-Lebec, 7 p.m.
8-man intersectional
Woodside Priory-Portola Valley at Fresno Christian, 7 p.m.
Saturday
8-man
Laton at Anzar-San Juan Bautista, 10 a.m.
Kern Resource Center-Bakersfield at Turlock Christian, 4 p.m.
Orcutt Academy vs. San Luis Obispo Classical Academy, 6 p.m.
This story was originally published September 18, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
