High School

Central-Fresno's Jelani Dippel is SBLive's Northern California Athlete of the Week (9/12/2024)

Dippel, a sophomore, tossed six touchdown passes in just his second varsity game

Lance Smith

Photo by Jimmy Jones

It only took the Central Grizzlies two weeks of the 2024 season to establish that it's the breakout year of sophomore quarterback Jelani Dippel.

In his varsity debut, a Week Zero 40-0 blowout of Justin Garza, Dippel completed 20 of 26 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown.

When that game ended with a brawl resulting in suspensions, Central would need its new signal caller to help keep the boat steady through some unexpected turbulence with one of Alaska's top teams on deck, Bettye Davis East Anchorage.

Dippel responded with a masterpiece, and the Grizzlies were able to cruise to a convincing 49-21 victory. He completed 22 of 35 (62.9-percent) for 294 yards and six touchdowns to one interception.

What a tremendous start to a varsity career, and for a sophomore no less.

For his six-touchdown gem in Week One against East Anchorage, fans have voted Dippel SBLive's Northern California Athlete of the Week. Dippel ran away with the voting, receiving 99-percent.

It keeps the Central love going after junior running back Brandon Smith was voted both the CIF-Central Section's top running back and Week Zero Athlete of the Week.

Last week, Central held off Turlock 28-22 to move to 3-0. On Friday it heads to Edison (Stockton), which fell 39-14 last week to Central's fellow TRAC member Clovis West.

Meet the rest of the candidates:

Bryson Baker, a senior receiver at Sanger, had seven catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-34 loss to Hanford. 

Jaxon Bell, a junior RB at Liberty, rushed 21 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over Frontier-Bakersfield. Bell also had a 48-yard catch, setting up a score. 

Braden Busalacchi, a senior WR and LB for Linden, dominated on both sides of the ball in a 42-28 win over Liberty Ranch. Busalacchi had five catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns and added 14 tackles and two pass deflections.  

Steven Byamungu, a senior RB at Piedmont Hills, rushed 13 times for 124 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-28 win over Monte Vista Christian. 

Carson Blair, Miramonte, completed 13 of 20 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 55 yards and two more scores in a 42-6 win over Oakland Tech. 

Aiden Broadnax, a senior running back for San Juan, rushed 18 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-26 loss to Mira Loma. 

Carson Brown, a sophomore tailback at Cloverdale, rushed 25 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns during a 35-21 loss to Healdsburg. 

Casey Coga-Dean, Alameda, completed 10 of 14 passes for 210 yards and five touchdowns in a 73-0 win over Ygnacio Valley. 

Jordan Crisp, a junior QB at Tulare Union, accounted for 263 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-15 win over El Diamante. 

Teddy Dacey, a junior QB at Menlo-Atherton, completed 15 of 21 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-10 win over Bellarmine. 

Rayan Daneshvar, a junior linebacker for Sobrato, had 16 tackles in a 21-6 win over North Salinas. 

Jelani Dippel, a sophomore QB at Central-Fresno, completed 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-21 win over East Anchorage (Ala.)

Kellan Ford, Monte Vista, caught eight passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Tyler Franklin, a junior QB at Bullard, completed 9 of 10 passes for 344 yards and six touchdowns in a 70-3 win at Buhach Colony. 

Daniel Gomez, a senior QB at Hanford, completed 20 of 30 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns, and added 10 carries for 126 yards and two more scores in a 50-34 win over Sanger. 

Harrison Hamre, a senior RB for Los Molinos, rushed 12 times for 347 yards and five touchdowns, in a 56-28 win over Coral Academy. 

Jim Jones, a senior linebacker at Berkeley, had seven tackles and four sacks in a 14-10 win over Dublin. 

Jhadis Luckey, California, rushed 22 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-34 win over Patterson. 

Gio Martinez, a running back for Rancho Cotate, rushed 11 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-22 win over Ukiah. 

Julian McMahan, Monte Vista, rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Max Medina, a junior QB at Patterson, completed 31 of 45 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-34 loss to California. He also rushed nine times for 59 yards and another score. 

Joshua Milani, a senior QB at Terra Linda, completed 12 of 18 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns, all to different receivers, in a 28-8 win over Upper Lake.  

Mikey Mitchell, Riordan, threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, two in the final six minutes of a 35-34 win over McClymonds. 

Chase Parkinson, a junior QB at Delta, completed 22 of 40 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 82-42 loss to Rio Vista. 

Omaurie Phillips, a senior receiver at Ukiah, had 18 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-22 loss to Rancho Cotate. 

Tanner Pidgeon, a QB at Ferndale, rushed for 202 yards and four touchdowns and also passed for a score, in a 39-12 win over Fort Bragg. On defense, Pidgeon added two interceptions. 

Dominic Pierini, a senior QB at Monte Vista Christian, threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-28 loss to Piedmont Hills. 

Tyrin Pree, a junior WR at Bullard, had four catches for 220 yards and two TDs in a 70-3 win over Buhach Colony. 

Michael Sargent, a junior QB at Sacred Heart Cathedral, completed 12 of 18 for 245 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-0 win at Soledad. 

Daylon Scott, a senior receiver at Central-Fresno, had seven catches for 94 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-21 win over East Anchorage. 

Xavier Tinoco, Patterson, had six catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-34 defeat to California. 

Dylan Thomas, a junior QB at Las Lomas, threw for four touchdowns and recovered a fumble on defense in a 28-14 win over Vintage. 

Brayden Turner, Monte Vista, threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Kyle Watkins, a RB at Kelseyville, rushed 22 times for 179 yards and five touchdowns in a 50-18 win over McKinleyville. 

Niko White, Acalanes, returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, then caught TD passes of 56 and 38 yards in a 49-21 win over Lowell. 

Tanner Wilson, a senior QB and FS at Sunnyside, completed 19 of 21 passes for 250 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-0 win at Reedley.

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Lance Smith
LANCE SMITH

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