Central Section Top 15 high school football rankings from SBLive Sports/Sports Illustrated (10-9-2023)
The No. 1 Clovis North Broncos kept on rolling with their smashmouth rushing offense defeating No. 8 Clovis 24-7, outscoring the Cougars 17-7 in the second half to remain one of eight undefeated Central Section teams.
No. 2 Liberty rolled Stockdale 56-6 and No. 3 Clovis East blew past previous No. 4 Clovis West 42-22 behind the stellar play of junior quarterback Ty Miller.
It certainly doesn’t get any easier for Clovis West as they host No. 1 Clovis North this Friday while No. 3 Clovis East visits No. 8 Central.
And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Caruthers running back sensation Hunter Babb. The senior added 243 yards and five more TDs in a 55-16 win over Parlier and has amassed a school record 2,094 yards in seven games with 30 touchdowns.
1. Clovis North (7-0)
Last week rank: 1
Last week: Defeated Clovis 24-7
Next game: Friday at No. 6 Clovis West
Andrew Chavez rushed for two touchdowns Jackson Cinfel rushed for 134 yards as the Broncos outscored Clovis 17-0 in the second half in a 24-7 win. Quarterback Mario Cosma rushed for a score and the defense held highly touted sophomore quarterback Deagan Rose to 102 yards and zero TDs on 12-21 passing.
2. Liberty-Bakersfield (6-1)
Last week rank: 2
Last week: Defeated Stockdale 56-6
Next game: Friday at No. 13 Centennial
Brock Wattenberger returned the opening kick 75 yards for a TD and Cole O’Brien threw and ran for two touchdowns each as the Patriots rolled Stockdale 56-6. Jemel Davis returned a fumble 34 yards for a TD in the second quarter.
3 Clovis East (6-1)
Last week rank: 3
Last week result: Defeated Clovis West 42-22
Next game: Friday at No. 8 Central
Ty Miller passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns to Donyell Booker Jr. and rushed for a 19-yard TD to lead the Timberwolves to a 42-22 win at Clovis West. Miller’s TD run gave Clovis East a 20-15 lead late in the first half and fLindsey Graves, Caleb Slocum and Tyrone Bishop each scored on the ground in the second half. Booker Jr. also broke up three passes for a defense that tallied four interceptions.
4. Sanger (6-1)
Last week rank: 5
Last week result: Defeated Edison 31-0
Next game: Friday at Madera
Scoreless at the half, the Apaches scored 31 unanswered as the defense intercepted three Edison passes. Isaiah Robles rushed for 173 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns and Connor Bohlken added a TD run.
5. Frontier (7-0)
Last week rank: 6
Last week result: Defeated Garces 38-15
Next game: Friday home against Stockdale
Malakhi Statler threw three touchdowns as the Titans continue their undefeated season defeating Garces 38-15. Statler tossed one to Malcom Watkins and two to Nsong Ginyui.
6. Clovis West (5-2)
Last week rank: 4
Last week result: Lost to Clovis East 42-22
Next game: Friday home against No. 1 Clovis North
The Golden Eagles led 15-7 in the first quarter one a Tyler Patrick to JoJo Pierro TD connection and a 3-yard TD run from Tyler Franklin in the first quarter but fell to Clovis East 42-22. Patrick added a TD pass to Dominic Decanio for 65 yards in the third quarter but the team couldn’t overcome five turnovers.
7. Clovis (5-2)
Last week rank: 7
Last week result: Lost to Clovis North 24-7
Next game: Friday home against Buchanan
The Cougars played No. 1 Clovis North tough to a 7-7 halftime score, however, they were shut out the rest of the way, falling 24-7 at home. Noah Luginbill rushed for 59 yards and a TD in the first quarter.
8. Central (5-2)
Last week rank: 8
Last week result: Defeated Buchanan 27-6
Next game: Friday home against No. 3 Clovis East
David Marquez three for 295 yards and three touchdowns–all in the second half–as the Grizzlies turned a scoreless first half into a 27-6 win at Buchanan. Daylon Scott caught two TDs and Braylen Hall had 132 receiving yards and a touchdown for a section leading 11 on the year, including one in every game this season.
9. Central Valley Christian (6-1)
Last week rank: 9
Last week result: Defeated Selma 42-6
Next game: Friday home against Kingsburg
Brent Kroeze threw three touchdowns in the first quarter and recent Fresno State commit Bryson Donelson rushed four times for 93 yards and a TD in a 42-6 win against Selma. Kroeze also rushed for a 13-yard TD and has 17 passing TDS on the season with only one interception.
10. Hanford (6-1)
Last week rank: 10
Last week result: Defeated Tulare 56-34
Next game: Friday home against Tulare Western
Daniel Gomez completed 21-30 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns and Jordan Black caught six passes for 156 yards and two scores as the Bullpups defeated Tulare Union 56-34. Kourdey Glass and Albert Richardson–both juniors–combined for 187 yards and four touchdowns.
11. St. Joseph (5-2)
Last week rank: No ranked
Last week result: Defeated Paso Robles 35-7
Next game: Friday home against Righetti
Carter Vargas rushed for scores of 28 and 25 as the Knights return to the rankings after racing to a 28-0 halftime lead en route to a 35-7 win over Paso Robles.
12. Lemoore (5-2)
Last week rank: 12
Last week result: Defeated Mission Oak 42-17
Next game: Friday home against Tulare
Kobe Green returned an interception for a score and quarterback Johnny Cunha rushed for two and passed for a touchdown in a 42-17 home win over Mission Oak. The Tigers rushed for 207 yards on 25 carries from 11 different players.
13. Arroyo Grande (6-1)
Last week rank: No. 13
Last week result: Defeated Righetti 31-8
Next game: Friday
Ben Walz rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns and classmate Junior Herlihy ran for 105 yards in the Eagles’ 31-8 win at Righetti. Quarterback Drake Missamore tossed a touchdown to Caleb Clark and ran for another.
14. Centennial (3-2)
Last week rank: 12
Last week result: Defeated Highland 24-7
Next game: Thursday home against Liberty
Down seven starters against Highland, Angel Lozano ran for touchdowns of 16 and 52 yards and Adam Copus threw a 63-yard TD pass to Kaden Howard in a 24-7 road win. Maverick Moore kicked a 39-yard field goal in the 4th quarter before the defense gave up a late touchdown.
15. Shafter (8-0)
Last week rank: 15
Last week: Defeated Delano 55-14
Next game: Friday Oct. 20 at Kennedy
Ezekiel Ozborne threw two touchdowns to fellow sophomore Mariyon Sloan and three total as the Generals continue their undefeated season in a 55-14 victory over Delano. Chris Espinosa rushed for three 101 yards and three touchdowns.
Dropped out: No. 11 Buchanan (2-5)
