California high school football Central Section Fab 15 preseason rankings

Five of top 10 teams reside in vaunted Tri-River Athletic Conference

After All-State season as a junior, Clovis North running back Jackson Cinfel returns for perhaps even bigger season in 2024. / Photo: Dennis Lee

It's finally here. The 2024 football season is upon us. If anything like last season in the Central Section, there's loads to look forward to.

The defending state champions from the section are Strathmore, which handed Bell Gardens a 42-7 shellacking for the 7-A title game, and Central Valley Christian after a wild 45-42 win over Los Gatos in the 2-A title game.

CVC was led by SBLive State Player of the Year Bryson Donelson, who rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns in the title game and finished with a state-leading 3,297 rushing yards and 58 total touchdowns on the season.

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He's moved on to Fresno State.

Two other teams won section and regional games, before losing in state title games: Wasco (6-AA) and Mission Oak (4-A).

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The team that finished No. 1 in last year's rankings was Clovis North, which won 13 straight games including the Central D1 championship game with a 24-14 win over Central. The Broncos then dropped a 41-0 game at perennial national power De La Salle in the state D1-AA Northern Region championship.

WEEK 0 SCHEDULE ALL GAMES: Thursday | Friday | Saturday
BY SECTION: San Diego | Southern | LA City | Central | Sac-Joaquin

The Broncos seemed primed for another big season.

Heading into Week 0, here are the Central Section's preseason rankings.

PRESEASON 2024: CENTRAL SECTION FAB 15

(SBLive sent football questionnaires to coaches/programs across the state. Some of the information below reflects information presented back to SBLive on those questionnaires.)

1. Central

Central running back Brandon Smith is one of the state's top junior recruits. He's also excellent cornerback. / Photo: Bobby Medellin

2023 record: 10-4
Head coach: Kyle Biggs
3 key players: RB Brandon Smith, Jr.; WR Daylon Scott, Sr.; QB Jelani Dippel, So.
Other key players: WR Ej Morgan, Jr.; WR Zeb White, Jr.; OL Jesse Wright, Sr.; LB Aidan Chavez, Sr.; S Gerald, Sr.; OLB Marcus Nolen, Sr.; OL Julian Amosa, So.; WR Bayon Harris, So.; WR Xavior Jones, So.; OL Jontay Fudge, So.; DB Jontae Della, So.; DB/WR Marcus Watkins, Sr.; OLB Lonzo Jenkins, So. 
Combined record last 3 years: 26-11
Coach Biggs says: "We have a ton of talent and youth so if we learn fast we’re going to be good."
Season opener: Friday at Garza | Watch NFHS 

2. Clovis North

Clovis North senior McKay Madsen (3) is one of California's top all-around senior athletes. He's rushed for 1,677 career yards and 28 touchdowns. / Photo: Bobby Medellin

2023 record: 13-1
Head coach: Mike Jacot
3 key players: LB-RB McKay Madsen, RB-LB Jackson Cinfel, LB Cannon Parks
Last 3 seasons: 25-12
Season opener: Friday at San Joaquin Memorial

3. Clovis East

Clovis East quarterback Tyus Miller tossed 43 touchdowns during his junior season / Bobby Medellin

2023 record: 9-3
Head coach: Brandon Nagle
3 key players: WR Harold Duvall, QB Tyus Miller, MLB Jax Koontz
Last 3 seasons: 19-13
Season opener: Friday at West (Salt Lake City)

4. Liberty

Liberty-Bakersfield football coach Bryan Nixon accepts the 2022 CIF State Division 1-A trophy after beating Pittsburg at Saddleback College / Photo: Joe Bergman

2023 record: 9-3
Head coach: Bryan Nixon
3 key players: OL Quinn Buckey, Jr.; ATH Daviyon Day, Sr.; OL Chad Troxler, Sr.
Last three seasons: 33-8
Season opener: Friday vs. Highland-Palmdale | Watch NFHS

5. Clovis

2023 record: 8-4
Head coach: Aaron Wilkins
3 key players: QB Deagan Rose; DB Carlos Young, Jr.; WR-DB Will Lefevre
Last three seasons: 20-15
Season opener: Friday vs. Central Valley Christian

6. Frontier

2023 record: 10-1
Head coach: Chris Bandy
3 key players: WR Kobie Watson, Jr.; C Carsten Campbell, Jr.; WR-CB Malcolm Watkins, Jr.
More key players: RB-S Dante Callejas, Sr.; TE-LB Brady Durkan, Sr.; WR Austin Tapia, Sr.; QB Brady Campbell, Jr.; OL Christian Gonzalez, Sr.; FS Ginyui Nsongbeh, FS; LB Roy Vaughn, Sr.; LB Tyler Ayala, Sr.; DL LJ Riley, So.;DE Liam Hunter, Jr..
Last 3 seasons: 24-9
Coach Bandy says: "We're trying to repeat as SYRL League Champions but finish better in the playoffs then last season. We return some really talented skill players and gained a lot more talent and size with transfers. They will be big and explosive on offense and defensively will play very fast and aggressive."
Season opener: Saturday at Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

7. Central Valley Christian

2023 record: 15-1
Head coach: Mason Hughes
3 key players: WR Gunner Piepgrass, Sr.; WR-S Caden Ritchie, TE-LB Griffin Dunn
More key players: WR Ryan Williams, Jr.; OT Carter Oliver, Sr.; OT Jacobus DeGroot, Jr., TE-DE Kelan Turner, Sr.; LB Ezra Schuyler, Sr.
Last 3 seasons: 38-7
Says coach Hughes: "We have a chance to be very good defensively. The offense may take a bit to get going because of key losses at quarterback and running back, but I like our offensive line and talent at receiver."
Season opener: Friday at Clovis

8. Hanford

2023 record: 9-2
Head coach: Cannon Sanchez
3 key players: QB Daniel Gomez, Sr.; RB Kourdey Glass, Sr.; S Elijah Felder
Last 3 seasons: 25-8
Season opener: Friday at Kennedy-Delano

9. Clovis West

2023 record: 6-6
Head coach: Eric Brown
3 key players: WR Jonavon Darrington, OLB/WR Tytus Dimmer, QB/FS Michael Espinoza
Last 3 seasons: 20-16
Season opener: Friday vs. Edison-Huntington Beach

10. Lemoore

2023 record: 10-4
Head coach Jerald Campbell IV
3 key players: WB-DB Travis Alverson, Sr.; OL Caleb Griffin, Jr.; OL Andrew Robinson, Sr.
More key players: QB Ayden McDaniel, Sr.; DL Jeremiah Mann, Sr.; DL Dorian Davis, Sr.; LB Uziah Nash, Sr.; RB Blaine Guerva, Fr.
Last 3 seasons: 30-9
Coach Campbell says: "The team's expectation this season is to go out and be competitive, have fun, and go 1-0 each week. The team's style of play this year is to be smash mouth and hard nose football team."
Season opener: Friday vs. Monache | Watch NFHS

11. Kingsburg

2023 record: 9-3
Head coach: David Wilson
3 key players: WR Chris Browe, Sr.; WR Dalyn Breckenridge, Sr.; OL/DL Johnny Peterson, Sr.
More key players: HB Ryan Martinez, Sr.; LB Greg Ross, Sr.; DL Emilio Ayala, Jr.; DB Caleb Sikora, Sr.; DL Sylvester Parra, Sr.; QB Kade Holt, Jr.; LB Conner Stephenson, Jr.; DE David Hyliard, Sr.; RB/LB Drew Lunde, Jr.; HB Cooper Holt, So.; RB/DB Dylan Darling, So. 
Last 3 seasons: 28-8
Coach Wilson says: "Expectations are always high. With the non-league schedule we added this year, our boys will be challenged early on will face adversity early. The good thing is we should be pretty sharpened by the time league schedule roles around. Just need to stay healthy."
Season opener: Friday vs. Paso Robles | Watch NFHS

12. Sunnyside

2023 record: 10-2
Head coach: Thomas Wilson
3 key players: QB/S Tanner Wilson, WR/FS CJ Jones, WR/CB Malachi Barnes
More key players: LB Anthony Molina, LB Rom Phetvixay
Last 3 years: 30-8
Coach Wilson says: "We expect to have fun and be exciting to watch."
Season opener: Friday at Madera | Watch NFHS

13. Tulare Union

2023 record: 8-5
Head coach: Darren Bennett
Key players: QB Jordan Crisp, Jr.; RB Rashawn Hayes, Jr.; WR Franklin Lockard, Jr.; WR Demaje Riley, So.; WR/RB Brayden Stevenson, Jr.; OL Aiden Avalos, Sr.; OLB Damian Williams, Sr.; ILB Dominic Wilson, Sr.; CB Kristian Wood, Sr.; MLB Keanu Kennedi, Jr.; DE Shanta Kimbe, Jr.
Last 3 seasons: 17-17
Coach Bennett says: "On paper this is one of the best teams Tulare Union has had since Kazmeir Allen was running the ball. Having a QB who has 2 years of varsity experience under his belt as a junior is going to benefit this team.
Season opener: Friday vs. St. Joseph-Santa Maria

14. Tehachapi

2023 record: 11-1
Head coach: Kris Kremplen
Key players: TE/LB Andrew Aguirre, Sr.; SS Adrian Pina, Sr.; DE Leo Gonzalez, Sr.
More key players: OL Hayden Michael, Sr.; OL Kenny Pitt, Sr.; OL Travis Mason, Sr.; DB Carter Kolesar, Sr.; LB Tylere Lombardi, Jr.; LB Mason Rothermel, Jr. 
Last 3 seasons: 26-9
Coach Kremplen says: "We are a fast group looking to rebound from an abbreviated post-season in 2023. Team speed is at a premium and we are looking forward to the challenge of living up to the expectations we have put on ourselves throughout the area."
Season opener: Friday at Burroughs | Watch NFHS

15. Bullard

2023 record: 2-8
Head coach: Louis Franklin
3 key players: WR/FS Davien Potts, Jr.; QB Tyler Franklin, Jr. RB/LB Devin Laney, Sr.
Other key players: OL Donavan Otterbery, Jr.; OL Dom Braich, Jr.; OL Chris Rodriguez, Sr.; OL Cade Branch, Jr.; RB Shondell Hogan, So.; WR Izzy Castaneda, Sr.; WR Tomas Dixon, So.; WR Clarence Phillips, So.; LB Asher Armstrong, Sr.; DL Fernando Avila, Jr.; OLB Brayden Chiarito, Sr.; OL/DL Jonathan Brown, Sr. 
Impact newcomers: QB Tyler Franklin, Jr. (Clovis West), ATH Tyrin Pree, Jr. (Sunnyside), ATH Davien Potts, Jr. (Washington Union), ATH Jayden King, So., (Lompoc); OL/DL Dwayne Dodson, Sr., (NY); ATH Donald Turner, Sr. (Hoover); DL Akhileus Ornelas, Sr. (El Capitan-Merced)
Last 3 seasons: 14-19
Coach Franklin says: "Look for Bullard to play all three phases of the game with great effort and energy. Team should play at a fast tempo and feature playmakers on offense, defense and special teams."
Season opener: Friday at Golden Valley | Watch NFHS