We'll be back to football on Tuesday with the newest Central Section rankings, but tonight I'd like to give a little love to the other fall sports, which, like football, are in full swing and rapidly approaching (or already zipping through) league play.

VOLLEYBALL — League play started last week, and it's pretty clear already who the haves and have-nots are. Stockdale plays at Centennial tomorrow night in a game that should decide the early pecking order in the Southwest Yosemite League, while the SEYL probably will crown a new champion. Bakersfield is down, with five starters gone from last year's Central Section Division I runner-up, and Liberty and Garces are way up. The Patriots and Rams — Garces has already beaten BHS twice, by the way — tangle Oct. 8 at Liberty and Nov. 4 at Garces in matches that could decide all.
Among smaller schools, expect Bakersfield Christian to continue to roll until they meet Visalia-CVC, the Eagles' nemesis, in the playoffs. The Eagles took a four-set match from CVC in early-season play. Tehachapi also has a strong team; the Warriors host BCHS Oct. 14 and travel to Bako on Oct. 30.

GIRLS TENNIS — This week brings another key match, with Stockdale traveling to Liberty. The Mustangs are three-time defending section champs but split with Clovis-Buchanan early in the year; Liberty beat the Bears later. This is a big one for seeding for the team playoffs and the section's singles tournament, where Stockdale's Frances Ellison and Liberty's Estefania Limpias are both going to contend — Limpias came back to beat Ellison in their first meeting this year, reversing a couple of losses from last year.
Also predictably strong is Bakersfield Christian, which boasts section singles runner-up Lyndsay Cooke and a strong supporting cast. And in the SEYL, East sophomore Nancy Ramirez will contend and Highland has looked good, perhaps enough to challenge Garces or Liberty, on the team side of things.

GIRLS GOLF — It's the Garces show in Kern County this year. The Rams boast Mica Guzman and Cassie Clayton, the two best local players thus far in mini-tournament play. Clayton actually shot a 68 the other week, and Guzman is the returning Californian Golfer of the Year. On the west side of town, Frontier has held off Stockdale at all three mini-tournaments thus far. The young Titans are led by freshman Taylor Shweiki.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY — Another year, another season of domination from McFarland. The deep and talented Cougars are one of the state's best teams — no matter the school size — and, if they stay healthy, should be the favorites to win the Divsiion IV title on Nov. 29 in Fresno. Say the same in Division I for Foothill's Chris Schwartz, who wins all the time and dominates whenever anyone dares to push him.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY — It's been a Ridgeview surge. The Wolf Pack don't have one runner who can win a bunch of races, but they don't have any weaknesses in their top five, either. Tijerra Lynch and Jessica Hulzar lead Ridgeview, while Shafter's Elizabeth Wittenberg and North's Cecilia Lopez have won two of the big early meets. The season gears up with the Kern County Championships at Hart Park on Nov. 1, which leads directly into the postseason.