|
|
|
I don't think this exactly qualifies as a beacon of the coming high school football season, but the Kern High School District sent me some tentative schedules for fall sports today, and I thought I'd pass along some tidbits from the football portion.
Keep in mind, these could change slightly by...
|
Comments [4] - Views [311]
|
|
|
|
I was out at North Kern Golf Course today covering a Southeast Yosemite League mini-tournament, and as I was leaving, the Highland golfers were piling into their team van to head back down into town in the parking space next to mine.
Right before the door closed, one of them (it was dark in...
|
Comments [4] - Views [131]
|
|
|
|
On Saturday, in honor of the NFL draft, we detailed what a draft of Kern County's best seniors might look like if college teams were drafting them.
Today, the question is what a high school team would do for next season if the Kern High School District conducted a draft of all of the...
|
Comments [14] - Views [364]
|
|
|
|
So I was partaking today in a great American tradition — sitting on the couch with a frosty beverage in hand (Coke, in my case today) with the NFL draft on the tube — when I actually stopped vegging out and got to thinking: What if college teams had to draft players instead...
|
Comments [4] - Views [206]
|
|
|
|
The last coaching vacancy in Kern County for the year was filled today, with Foothill calling up defensive line and wide receivers coach Mike Gregg to the big-boy job.
I chatted with Gregg and Foothill athletic director Kevin Platt earlier today, and both sounded pretty excited about the...
|
Comments [0] - Views [143]
|
|
|
|
The Kern High School District waited until after spring break to fill its open positions, so it come as no surprise that this week has seen two football coaching jobs open. A day after Dennis Manning left Foothill to coach Ridgeview, Shafter has hired Garces freshman coach Ben Ansolabehere as its...
|
Comments [0] - Views [113]
|
|
|
|
This is the second part of a rare April treat: a two-part football blog. Catch the first half, a note on rosters for the annual Arena Bowl all-star game, at this link.
Dennis Manning, the coach responsible for turning around Foothill's program in the past three years, has moved to...
|
Comments [1] - Views [173]
|
|
|
|
This is the first of a rare April treat, a two-part football blog. Catch the second half, on Dennis Manning's move from Foothill to Ridgeview, at this link.
I caught the press conference today where the rosters and coaches were announced for the eighth annual Arena Bowl, Kern County's indoor...
|
Comments [2] - Views [217]
|
|
|
|
If you ever want to tire yourself out, just try to make as many National Signing Day ceremonies as you can in one day around Kern County.
I left home this morning around 11:30, went to Highland to watch Patrick Su'a sign his national letter of intent with Fresno State, then raced over to...
|
Comments [2] - Views [220]
|
|
|
|
I was excited to see an e-mail in my inbox this morning with the three proposals the Central Section came up with for the new league alignment. I hurriedly printed off the proposals, went over to the printer and started looking them over on my way back.
Turns out, there was no need. The...
|
Comments [9] - Views [292]
|
|
|
|
I've been in Bakersfield off and on for a week or so at a time since Thanksgiving, but I went for a run this morning and found myself thinking this was the first time in six weeks that I actually felt like I was sliding back into my routine.
After having company for Turkey Day, I've...
|
Comments [2] - Views [399]
|
|
|
|
We've got the Sacramento-Grant—Long Beach-Poly Open Division state championship football game on TV here in the office, and it's a somewhat surprising 13-7 lead for Grant at the half. Maybe by the time I'm done with this all-encompassing football wrap-up, the game will be close to over....
|
Comments [2] - Views [151]
|
|
|
|
Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly present the final Californian football podcast of the season. Listen here, download to iTunes and listen on your way to the game tomorrow. It's all there for you.
|
Comments [0] - Views [166]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 11:42 p.m.: It's repeat night for the South Sequoia League. Bakersfield Christian, as expected by some, went up to Corcoran and put a big number on the undefeated Panthers despite fog so think you couldn't see the stadium lights until you were right beside it. And Tehachapi, a few miles...
|
Comments [3] - Views [182]
|
|
|
|
After a perfect week last week (granted, it was just 5-for-5), I take a stab at the last four Central Section games of the season.
Bonus picks this week of the Divisions II and IV championship games — and barring any unforeseen miracles, that will be it. If Bakersfield Christian had...
|
Comments [1] - Views [176]
|
|
|
|
A little late-night blogging for some late-season football rankings, with championship week left:
1. Clovis West (10-3, Division I, last week: 1) — What a culmination for the Golden Eagles in the Division I championship game: A stifling defense shut down a good offense, and CW...
|
Comments [0] - Views [134]
|
|
|
|
So often in sports, the run-up to the championship seems to overshadow the actual title game. Baseball's regular season is a marathon of a spectacle and the playoffs are wall-to-wall action for the first week until the World Series, when things grind almost to a halt. March Madness is really...
|
Comments [0] - Views [76]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 11:41 p.m.: Offense carries the night in Kern County. With Bakersfield Christian, of course, that's the routine. Derek Carr threw for 417 yards and six more touchdowns tonight. I wrote that so non-chalantly that it makes me feel dirty. Let me try again: FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTEEN...
|
Comments [1] - Views [256]
|
|
|
|
After some more technological hand-wringing on my part and a very big assist from The Californian's photo/video department, we have a workable podcast once again. It's semifinals time, ladies and gentlemen.
|
Comments [0] - Views [66]
|
|
|
|
With the football season winding down, I'd like to take this chance to remind you (sounds like a Public Service Announcement, doesn't it?) that this blog does have year-round service. Football, I think, is the sports fan's entreé, but I will be here through Kern County basketball and...
|
Comments [5] - Views [214]
|
|
|
|
The worst fears of Kern County football fans have more or less been confirmed this year, with all but one of the teams thought to be the best around have been eliminated by the playoffs' third week. Most of that carnage happened in Division I a couple of weeks ago, but D-II lost North and West...
|
Comments [5] - Views [179]
|
|
|
|
I'm not really sure I should be posting this, because maybe I'll get run out of town if I do, but I feel I have an obligation to admit my possible guilt.
There's a chance I've been jinxing Kern County high school teams (yes, I say this tongue-in-cheek, but it is...
|
Comments [4] - Views [194]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, : It was a night of almosts.
West High almost finished off mighty Visalia-El Diamante. North High almost got back into a dogfight with Sanger. Highland almost got revenge on Foothill. Tehachapi is almost back in the Division III championship.
Even around the rest of the section, there...
|
Comments [4] - Views [330]
|
|
|
|
Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
Here's the deal with this week's podcast: Because the people who know what they're doing with these things are off for the holiday, I attempted to create this podcast file myself. Obviously, I haven't been able to embed it in the blog, but if you click on...
|
Comments [0] - Views [115]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 10:30 p.m.: Sorry for the update drought, but there was really not much to say. More Tyler Bray, more London Lacy (that's Bray's backup), continuing to torch the Taft secondary. Kingsburg wins it 39-0 and will go on to the semifinals to play either Arvin at home or Visalia-Central...
|
Comments [3] - Views [111]
|
|
|
|
A happy Thanksgiving Eve to everyone. I'll be heading up to Kingsburg in a couple of hours for the Vikings' Division IV game with Taft, which the teams mutually agreed to move up to save holiday plans.
I love the idea, not only because it gives the players, their parents and coaches...
|
Comments [0] - Views [214]
|
|
|
|
Sorry for the lack of posts around here lately — I've been busy with a few things, namely working on some non-football stories and proposing to my girlfriend (she said yes, for the record).
But to make up for that, I'm going to do a very abbreviated version of Most Important Things for the...
|
Comments [8] - Views [237]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 10:52 p.m.: Looks like all of the Central Section finals have rolled in for the evening. All three Bakersfield teams go down in Division I, with only Liberty in the game at the end. Bakersfield, riddled by mistakes, fell to Bullard 35-14 and Stockdale lost at home to Clovis East, 52-20....
|
Comments [14] - Views [463]
|
|
|
|
We're about 26 hours away from playoff football, folks. Hope you're getting as excited as I am.
|
Comments [0] - Views [153]
|
|
|
|
It's shaping up to be quite an end of the month. Four Kern County volleyball teams are in Central Section volleyball championships Thursday, the football playoffs start Friday and the state volleyball and cross country championships will be decided in the coming weeks as well.
Both McFarland and...
|
Comments [7] - Views [374]
|
|
|
|
Ladies and gentlemen, you have entered The Twilight Zone.
Courtesy of The Fresno Bee, the Fresno Unified School District finished up its investigation into Edison High School and found ... that the accuser is the guilty party. What?? Yep, that's right. Jeff Powell, the math teacher who said an F...
|
Comments [0] - Views [287]
|
|
|
|
Sorry this post is a bit late, but I we have such a good discussion going on playoff seedings that I wanted to hold off a bit. But let's not let go of the regular season just yet, not before a quick Week 10 recap. And click the above link to join the playoff seedings talk. I'll try to limit any...
|
Comments [0] - Views [160]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 8:42 p.m.: There's more to this seeding story than I initially thought. Turns out there was a Division I bracket released before the one that I've posted (and before I checked the site this morning) that had Liberty as the No. 4 seed hosting Clovis East. Stockdale as the No. 6...
|
Comments [19] - Views [653]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 12:42 a.m.: The regular season is in the books, folks, and we'll know playoff seedings tomorrow. I'm headed to Clovis for the individual section tennis championships, but when I get back, I'll put up a post on seedings. In the mean time, here are some scores pulled out from the list...
|
Comments [2] - Views [389]
|
|
|
|
Live to you from Fresno, where some congratulations are in order to the Stockdale girls tennis team for its sixth straight Division I Central Section championship. The Mustangs won it today with a 6-3 victory at top seed Fresno-Bullard.
Can you imagine a football team winning six straight D-I...
|
Comments [4] - Views [410]
|
|
|
|
We're going to shake things up just a little bit here in Week 10 because I'm on the road up to Fresno for Stockdale's Division I girls tennis championship with Bullard this afternoon and then for cross country divisional championships tomorrow morning.
So, I'll give you time to digest this...
|
Comments [0] - Views [98]
|
|
|
|
Before we get to the final rankings of football's regular season, it's time to offer a couple of shout-outs from other sports:
— To Deidre Crabtree, a Liberty senior who took home the Central Section's individual golf title Monday by shooting a 1-over-par 73 at The Links at RiverLakes...
|
Comments [2] - Views [333]
|
|
|
|
You know when a cartoon character gets his bell rung? He comes to, and for a few seconds we get to see the world from his point of view. At first, it's always blurry and wobbly, and then, suddenly, everything clears up.
Welcome to Kern County football, ladies and gentlemen. Week 9 helped...
|
Comments [16] - Views [290]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 12:24 a.m.: Sorry for the lack of updates, but things get crazy when games drag on Friday night. I told you this was stressful for us scribes. But a fun game to watch at Centennial nonetheless, with North hanging on for a 49-42 victory — its first win against CHS in school history....
|
Comments [10] - Views [416]
|
|
|
|
Check out tomorrow's print edition of The Californian for a short piece on changing — or not-so-changing — offenses in Kern County. For now, enjoy the podcast.
|
Comments [0] - Views [116]
|
|
|
|
I think I might need to see a psychologist or something: I can't even make up my own mind. This prediction blog becomes the highlight and lowlight of my week every Wednesday.
On one level, I love doing it and love going out on a limb and taking a shot at what's going on. But at the same...
|
Comments [4] - Views [482]
|
|
|
|
It's Election Day, and if you haven't voted, go out and do so before you read this. I don't care if you write in your own name, but you owe it to the country and to its people to make your voice heard.
OK, now that that spiel is out of the way, let's get to something decidedly undemocratic...
|
Comments [5] - Views [288]
|
|
|
|
Now that we're all completely confused — and yet somehow even more mesmerized — by the high school football season, it's time to gauge where we are with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
A full Central Section and Kern County score list from Friday night can be found here....
|
Comments [14] - Views [221]
|
|
|
|
UPDATE, 12:13 a.m.: And I thought the football season was crazy before tonight. We had a fitting Halloween for Week 8, with the biggest upset this year to date — Golden Valley over Bakersfield — and a couple of other interesting results. All the available scores are below, and I'll...
|
Comments [5] - Views [354]
|
|
|
|
For once in my life, I don't have much to say. So re-read my rant from Monday or check out Week 8 rankings and predictions if this podcast isn't enough football for you.
|
Comments [0] - Views [111]
|
|
|
|
Things are getting serious in the Fresno-Edison grade-changing case. The school district has asked Central Section commissioner Jim Crichlow to re-investigate the matter, which concerns a teacher's allegation that a player's grade in a math class was changed from an F to an A. Crichlow's first...
|
Comments [9] - Views [438]
|
|
|
|
If you missed it, we've got a lively discussion going on the previous post about what is (in my opinion) a watered-down playoff system we've got going in the Central Section.
On to Central Section rankings, something that actually rewards teams for doing well instead of lumping them with...
|
Comments [5] - Views [334]
|
|
|
|
Before I get to the topic at hand (and I have a heck of a rant ready, so be forewarned), I wanted to atone for a mistake.
I realized today that I gypped my loyal blog readers of a look-ahead to next week (this week's) big high school football games in my Week 7 edition of "most...
|
Comments [11] - Views [318]
|
|
|
|
What a year it's turned out to be in Kern County high school football, with upsets galore, many teams still in contention and an intriguing playoffs coming in just about every division. Let's recap the week that was.
— Bakersfield Christian and Tehachapi provided everything you could want...
|
Comments [5] - Views [225]
|
|
|
|
UPDATED, 12:08 a.m.: Here's a quick-reflex reaction of some of tonight's key results:
Bakersfield Christian 40, Tehachapi 35: BCHS coach Doug Barnett said after the game that Derek Carr doesn't yet have a full grasp of the spread offense. That's a scary, scary thought, considering Carr was...
|
Comments [5] - Views [274]
|
|
|
