How Central East won back-to-back Central Section Division I-AA titles
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Central East Bengals repeat as Central Section I-AA champions with 79-35 win
- QB Jelani Dippel throws seven TDs; Bayon Harris and others catch multiple scores
- RB Brandon Smith forces turnover, returns 99-yard TD and rushes for 120 yards
Crown them back-to-back Central Section Division I-AA champions: the Central East Bengals.
Bengals quarterback Jelani Dippel and star running back and defensive back Brandon Smith made sure of that.
Dippel passed for seven touchdowns and Smith snatched the ball away from Clovis running back James Caruso for a 99-yard touchdown in Central East’s 70-35 victory at Deran Koligian Stadium on Friday night.
“I thought last year’s team was part of the best team I was part of, but definitely this team was the best team,” Smith said.
“We’ve been battling some adversities all the way from summer to losing some key pieces to our team. We knew we could come as one to win back-to-back.”
Smith finished the game rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
He was one of the catalysts who gave the Bengals another section title.
Dippel had his way early and often. Finding open receivers for touchdowns.
Dippel said none of that surprised him. The ever-so often confidence in him gave Central East every reason to believe in another title.
“I expected it to come into the game,” he said. “It’s amazing. We’re all a team over here, and we don’t do selfish things, and you see what happens.”
The scoreboard was busy in the first half. Even the fire alarm went off during the second quarter.
But it was a Caruso fumble that gave the Bengals a chance to extend the lead.
That’s what they did when Dippel found Bayon Harris for a 6-yard touchdown for a 41-28 lead just before halftime.
Central East never lost the momentum from there.
“We had a chance to score in the third quarter, and we followed it at the edge yard line, and Brandon Smith just does what Brandon Smith does,” Clovis coach Aaron Wilkins said.
“That’s what makes him a champion. Hats off to (Central East coach) Kyle (Biggs). He had the boys read to play. They’re hard to stop. That’s a good football team.”
Both teams proved that they belong in the section championship. Consistency led them to the final section game.
Caruso ran for 152 yards and four touchdowns in the first half. He finished with 247 yards.
Dippel countered when he threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
Harris was a recipient of two of those touchdowns. He had 72 receiving yards in the first half and finished with 94 yards.
“Our defense stepped up at the end of the half to get that turnover,” Biggs said. “We played really well in the second half. We put them in situations where they had to start taking chances, and it benefited us.
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM.
