Here’s some record updates and highlights of top players & teams from the recent week as reported to us from CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett of Fresno. Bob has done phenomenal work on behalf of CIF Central Section schools, athletes and coaches for more than 40 years.
FOOTBALL
Senior Kazmeir Allen of Tulare put on a show last Friday night before a standing room crowd and TV audience at Bob Mathias Stadium. Allen accumulated 546 yards of offense and seven touchdowns in a 62-41 win over Tulare Western in the Bell Game. Facing a Tulare Western team that also was 9-0, Allen rushed for 310 yards on 28 carries and had five touchdowns on runs of 6, 6, 7, 10 & 1 yard and had seven receptions for 235 yards two touchdowns that covered 80 and 93 yards. Junior quarterback Nathan Lamb also was very accurate, going 12 of 16 for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
This is how Tulare High running back Kazmeir Allen looked in the spring of his sophomore year. Photo: StudentSports.com.
RECORD WATCH: Allen now has 55 touchdowns for the season, which is second best in section history, and he has 105 career touchdowns (fifth best) and 5,052 career rushing yards. With Tulare likely getting at least three more games in the D2 section playoffs and then perhaps two more games with regional and state bowl games, Kazmeir is definitely a major threat to break the single-season state record of 64 TDs scored in 2001 by Tyler Ebell of Ventura.
Senior Joseph Garcia of Strathmore, not to be forgotten, had a solid game by rushing for 125 yards on 13 carries, scored four touchdowns and pushed his career total to 91 touchdowns, as the Spartans beat Lindsay 56-14. Garcia is now tied for 6th best in section history and has 4,890 career yards. Kicker Osvaldo Ibbarra also has made 66 conversions in the regular season, which is a new Central Section record.
Junior quarterback Jaedyn Pineda of Visalia Mt. Whitney treated a packed house by passing for two career highs and had a career high in scoring to lead the Pioneers past Redwood of Visalia 57-56 in perhaps the wildest Cowhide Game ever. Pineda completed 29 passes for 397 yards and two touchdowns and scored five times on short runs. Receiver Jonathan Hadley tied a school record with 14 receptions for 165 yards.
Junior quarterback Alex Aguilar of Shafter had another game to remember as he rushed for a game high of 277 yards on 18 carries and five touchdowns on runs of 61, 10, 4, 38 & 44 yards and passed for 246 yards (24 of 31, one TD) in a 47-7 win over Wasco.
Senior Eli Riofrio of Fresno Clovis West was 6-of-6 on conversions and kicked his 10th field goal for the season as the Golden Eagles beat Clovis 45-21. Riofrio now has 24 field goals for his career, which ties the school record, and he has made 43-of-45 conversions for the season and 88 for his career.
Senior Isaiah Martin from Garces of Bakersfield, a four year player on the varsity team, had a nice game by rushing for 214 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns on runs of 39 & 44 yards to help the Rams beat Stockdale of Bakersfield 34-6. Martin also now has 43 TDs for his career.
Tye Johnson from Frontier of Bakersfield rushed for 237 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns on runs of 43 & 4 yards in a 37-20 win over Centennial. Kicker Tanner Neal of Frontier also made three field goals of 38, 27 & 34 yards for the game which ties the school record and made four conversions for 13 kicking points, another school record.
GIRLS TENNIS
Congratulations to Janie Ellis of Clovis West in winning her third consecutive singles section championship by beating Tatiana Ruiz of Clovis North 6-7, (5-7), 6-1, 6-0. The last player to win three or more consecutive section championships goes back to 1983-86 in which Gina Goblirsch of Garces won in a row. Janie is the only player in Clovis Unified School District to win two or more consecutive championships.
