Bee’s high school football rankings

Top 20

1. Bakersfield (4-0) Next: at Buchanan (2-1), Friday

2. Central (4-0) Next: at Tulare (1-2), Friday

3. Clovis North (4-0) Next: at Merced (3-1), Friday

4. Clovis (3-1) Next: at Atwater (3-0), Friday

5. Garces (3-1) Next: vs. Stockdale (1-2), Friday

6. Liberty-Bak. (3-1) Next: vs. Ridgeview (2-2), Friday

7. Mt. Whitney (3-0) Next: vs. El D. (2-2), Friday

8. Buchanan (2-1) Next: vs. Bakersfield (4-0), Friday

9. Edison (2-2) Next: at Clovis West (0-3), Sept. 28

10. Centennial (1-2) Next: at S. Barbara (3-1), Friday

11. Bullard (2-1) Next: vs. Clovis West (0-3), Friday

12. El Diamante (2-2) Next: at MW (3-0), Friday

13. Frontier (1-3) Next: vs. West (2-1), Friday

14. Porterville (2-2) Next: vs. Dinuba (3-1), Thursday

15. Stockdale (1-2) Next: at Garces (3-1), Friday

16. Kingsburg (3-0) Next: at Kerman (1-2), Friday

17. Mission Oak (3-0) Next: vs. Exeter, (2-2), Thursday

18. Wasco (3-0) Next: at East (0-3), Friday

19. Ridgeview (2-2) Next: at Liberty-Bak. (3-1), Friday

20. Clovis West (0-3) Next: at Bullard (2-1), Friday

Divisional

D-I 1. Bakersfield; 2. Central; 3. Clovis North

D-II 1. Garces; 2. El Diamante; 3. Kingsburg

D-III 1. Mt. Whitney; 2. Porterville; 3. Ridgeview

D-IV 1. Mission Oak; 2. Wasco; 3. Bak. Christian (2-1)

D-V 1. Liberty-M.R. (3-0); 2. Sierra (3-0); 3. Firebaugh (2-1)

D-VI 1. Mendota (3-0); 2. Avenal (3-1); 3. Strathmore (2-2)

The Buzz

Buchanan, in its 20th year of football, is 6-6 all-time against Bakersfield entering its showdown at the Bears’ Veterans Memorial Stadium. That includes two Central Section Yosemite Division championships — the Drillers winning 17-14 in 1994 and the Bears winning 41-16 in 2000. That’s Buchanan’s only section title; Bakersfield has merely won a state-record 35. … El Diamante quarterback Jacob Valdez(ankle) should return this week for a big West Yosemite League opener against Mt. Whitney after missing two starts. Miners coach Mark Rogers said Valdez could have gone at “about 70%” in Friday’s 42-7 loss at Central, but was held out with the key date with the Pioneers looming. Much more about to be learned of Mt. Whitney, with a nonleague bash against state-ranked Mission Oak to follow. … Section surprises of season to date: Hanford 0-4 after opening No. 12 overall and No. 2 in D-III in The Bee’s preseason rankings and Sierra 3-0 after going a combined 5-16 in the past two years. Hanford’s six-game winning streak against intracity rival Hanford West (3-1) in jeopardy Friday. Sierra, coming off a 34-0 rout of a Caruthers team then ranked No. 2 in D-V, visits Parlier on Friday. … Frontier remains ranked because the Titans beat a good Ridgeview team and has lost to three teams with a combined 11-0 record — Lompoc (4-0), Moorpark (3-0) and Clovis North (4-0). … ESPN has reduced its involvement with high school coverage nationally, meaning — among other things — it no longer will manage Cal-Hi Sports. Longtime Cal-Hi editor Mark Tennis says the website remains committed to state rankings and postseason recognition while seeking a new sponsor. Cal-Hi’s rankings can now be found at: calhisportsfootball.wordpress.com/.

By Andy Boogaard