Top 15 CIF Central Section high school football rankings, Games to Watch (9/17/2024)

Tri-River Athletic Conference teams hold the top six spots in this week's Central Section rankings, after Clovis East and Clovis post impressive cross-sectional victories

Bakersfield senior running back Brenton Brown (5) has four touchdown runs this season, including two in a 40-13 win over Bullard on 9/12/2024 / Photo: Larry Aronat

The Central Section once again flexed its collective muscle last week, scoring a pair of impressive cross-sectional wins, starting with No. 2 Clovis East outlasting Sac-Joaquin Section power Grant Union, 59-45.

Senior quarterback Tyus Miller completed 13 of 18 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns and junior tailback Lindsey Graves rushed just 11 times for 177 yards and two scores. The game featured more than 1,000 yards of offense.

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The other big win for the section — and the Tri-River Athletic Conference (TRAC) — was Clovis racing past Central Coast Section power and host Salinas, 41-14. Oregon State-bound junior quarterback Deagan Rose completed 23 of 32 passes for 404 yards and five touchdowns, two each to senior James Rose and junior Carlos Young.

Two more eye-opening wins for TRAC teams was No. 5 Buchanan, which went on the road to beat Bakersfield Liberty, 14-10, and No. 9 Clovis West beat Fresno Edison, 50-0.

Remarkable that leaves all six teams from the TRAC at the top of the Central Section rankings.

At No. 7 is Bakersfield, which got 206 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Brison Abbott and two more rushing TDs by Brenton Brown in a 40-13 win over No. 13 Bullard, which came into the game having outscored its three opponents 175-16. Meanwhile, Bakersfield had outscored its four opponents, 186-13.

Two teams entered the rankings this week: No. 14 Arroyo Grande and No. 15 Shafter.

Games to watch this week: No. 9 Bakersfield Liberty at No. 1 Central; No. 3 Clovis North at Los Alamitos and No. 13 Bullard at No. 4 Clovis and

TOP 15 CENTRAL SECTION FOOTBALL RANKINGS (9/17/2024)

1. Central (3-0)

Previous rank: 1
Last week results: Beat Stockton Edison, 42-26
Next: Friday vs. Liberty

2. Clovis East (4-0)

Previous rank: 2
Last week results: Beat Grant Union, 59-45
Next: Friday at Lemoore

3. Clovis North (2-1)

Previous rank: 3
Last week results: Beat Central Valley Christian, 52-13
Next: Saturday at Los Alamitos

4. Clovis (4-0)

Previous rank: 5
Last week results: Beat Salinas, 41-14
Next: Friday vs. Bullard

5. Buchanan (4-0)

The Buchanan Bears (right) and Liberty Patriots had an old-fashion drag-out game on Friday, won by the visiting Patriots 14-10. 9/13/2024 / Photo: Larry Aronat

Previous rank: 8
Last week results: Beat Bakersfield Liberty, 14-10
Next: Sept. 27 at Paso Robles

6. Clovis West (3-1)

Previous rank: 9
Last week results: Beat Fresno Edison, 50-0
Next: Friday vs. Turlock

7. Bakersfield (4-0)

Previous rank: 10
Last week results: Beat Bullard, 40-13
Next: Thursday vs. North

8. Hanford (4-0)

Previous rank: 7
Last week results: Beat El Diamante, 62-17
Next: Friday vs. Redwood

9. Liberty (2-2)

Previous rank: 6
Last week results: Lost to Buchanan, 14-10
Next: Friday at Central

10. Sunnyside (3-0)

Previous rank: 11
Last week results: Bye
Next: Thursday at McLane

11. Tulare Union (3-0)

Previous rank: 12
Last week results: Idle
Next: Friday vs. Ridgeview

12. Bakersfield Christian (2-1)

Previous rank: 15
Last week results: Idle
Next: Friday at Stockdale

13. Bullard (3-1)

Previous rank: 13
Last week results: Lost to Bakersfield, 40-14
Next: Friday at Clovis

14. Arroyo Grande (2-1)

Previous rank: HM
Last week results: Idle
Next: Friday vs. Righetti

15. Shafter (3-0)

Previous rank: HM
Last week results: Beat Dos Palos, 41-38
Next: Friday vs. Fresno-Edison

Honorable mention: Centennial (3-1), Central Valley Christian (1-3), Golden West (3-1), Highland (4-0), Kingsburg (2-1)