So between watching my alma mater, Missouri, destroy a rival in its first game and spending an evening figuring out how good Fresno State is — it's impossible to tell, by the way, with a 51-0 beatdown of a clearly overmatched UC Davis team — I spent Sunday with my wife and Monday doing a fantasy football draft and going to see Inglorious Basterds. Rave reviews on both — I really like my team this year and the movie was one of Tarantino's best, if you like that sort of thing.

I also have to recommend the new theater in town, Maya Cinemas, It was new, therefore clean, and not at all crowded for a Labor Day. Plus they have $1 hot dogs every Monday. On second thought, I'll shut up: Don't want to let the secret out. Too late? Whoops. Well, maybe I'll see a chunk of their advertising budget.

Anyway, Labor Day weekend is a tough one to return from, in my case mostly because we've just got three days until football starts again. Lots to get to. Let's start by re-setting where I think the Central Section sits after what amounts to a half-week.

1. Clovis West (1-0, Div. I, last week: 1) — No, the Golden Eagles were not nearly the most impressive team in the top five last week. But they played the best team, and they found a way to win. This week, however, is going to amp the competition level up to whole other level.
LAST WEEK: won vs. No. 8 Liberty, 31-21. THIS WEEK: at Anaheim-Servite

2. Fresno-Bullard (1-0, Div. I, last week: 2) — No complaints about the Knights' on-field performance — they throttled a Merced team that's usually competitve in the Sac-Joaquin Section — but what's up with coach Donnie Arax telling the media stud LB Daniel Snelling was hurt? When it's discipline, say it's discipline, coach.
LAST WEEK: won vs. Merced, 41-0. THIS WEEK: at Atwater

3. Clovis-Buchanan (1-0, Div. I, last week: 5) — The Bears leapfrog two idle teams because their dismantling of Sanger, even if it's a down Sanger, was so complete. Can't wait to see QB Lance Orender and the boys play Edison and Bakersfield in Weeks 3 and 4 (or Clovis West in Week 7, for that matter).
LAST WEEK: won vs. Sanger, 50-7. THIS WEEK: BYE

4. Tulare Union (0-0, Div. II, last week: 3) — Jontell Reedom might not be missed this week, and I'm not sure if he will be until December. The Redskins are that good, and their schedule that bad. Porterville appears to be the biggest test.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: at Visalia-Golden West

5. Bakersfield (0-0, Div. I, last week: 4) — Not everything rides on the Drillers' game against Canyon, but a big win would go a long way towards re-announcing the presence of the section's most storied program as a title contender once again.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: vs. Canyon Country-Canyon

6. Visalia-El Diamante (0-0, Div. II, last week: 6) — I wasn't even here, and I still miss the days when what's now known as Divisions I and II were thrown into the "big school" playoffs. How fun would it be to see El D or Tulare Union duke it out with BHS or one of the TRAC boys? Doesn't happen often, though the Miners did get a playoff test from West last year.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: at West

7. Liberty (0-1, Div. I, last week: 8) — I was impressed enough with the Patriots in a losing effort — defense and a couple of offensive threats, to be specifid — to bump them up a spot, but this is going to be their ceiling if they can't learn how to beat the top teams, not just play with them. I guarantee nobody will enjoy facing this team, though.
LAST WEEK: lost at No. 1 Clovis West, 31-21. THIS WEEK: BYE

8. Stockdale (0-0, Div. I, last week: 7) — The SWYL favorites get a tune-up with East (better not look too far past it, though) before a Week 2 crosstown showdown with Bakersfield. Not that the Mustangs, with 19 senior starters, need to bother with tune-ups.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: vs. East

9. Fresno-Edison (1-0, Div. II, last week: 13) — Biggest jump of the week goes to the Tigers, who made supposedly improved Clovis look like the same old retreads in a Thursday game. Or was it just Edison back to being the speedy nightmare that they were early last year?
LAST WEEK: won 36-7 at Clovis. THIS WEEK: BYE

10. Oakhurst-Yosemite (0-0, Div. III, last week: 10) — In a week that's a bit devoid of big showdowns around the section, keep an eye on a nifty game between the Badgers and D-II contender San Joaquin Memorial. Both teams have a chance to play into December.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: at No. 12 Fresno-San Joaquin Memorial

11. Clovis East (0-1, Div. I, last week: 9) — The Timberwolves lost a small halftime lead against Atascadero, getting bowled over in the second half. Things won't get any easier for a young team, with Southern Section power Redlands East Valley and No. 2 Bullard on the schedule in the next three weeks.
LAST WEEK: lost vs. Atascadero, 33-21. THIS WEEK: at Redlands East Valley

12. Fresno-San Joaquin Memorial (0-0, Div. II, last week: 11) — Here's a team that goes out of its way to challenge itself before a ho-hum league schedule. After Yosemite, the Panthers play a solid Sac-Joaquin team, Sacramento-Chrisitan Brothers, then Garces and later Buchanan. Quite the gauntlet.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: vs. No. 10 Oakhurst-Yosemite

13. Hanford (0-0, Div. III, last week: 12) — This is one of those teams you just assume will be good, year in and year out. I expect the Bullpups to prove it against a competitive Monache team that's not at that level.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: vs. Porterville-Monache

14. Kingsburg (0-0, Div. IV, last week: 14) — There will be plenty of chances for the section's D-IV and D-V teams to challenge Kingsburg's status as favorite. But those start next week with Washington Union. This week the Vikings will show off.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: at Dos Palos

15. Centennial (0-0, Div. I, last week: 15) — First sign things were wrong in Hawk-land last year was a home loss to Redwood in Week 1. If things are right again for a proud program, Cody Kessler and Co. will return the favor.
LAST WEEK: BYE. THIS WEEK: at Visalia-Redwood

Dropped out: none
Waiting: Tehachapi, Fresno-Hoover, Porterville, Garces, Visalia-Central Valley Christian, Frontier, Fresno-Washington Union, Chowchilla, Corcoran, Ridgeview, North