Semifinal highlights: Liberty-Bakersfield drills state powerhouse, advances to section championship game

Anthony Mariscal (left) and Krys Barnes are all smiles after their team - The Liberty-Bakersfield Patriots - routed rival and defending state champion Bakersfield High 41-10 on Friday, Nov. 28 (photo contributed).

According to Central Section historian Bob Barnett, no team had defeated proud Bakersfield High twice in one season on the football field - and that's in 111 years of Drillers football.

Liberty-Bakersfield just rewrote the Driller history books.

The Patriots used a hard-hitting defense and the exhilarating Anthony Mariscal to wear down the defending state champions in Division I, smashing Bakersfield 41-10 on Friday, Nov. 28, to clinch their spot in the Central Section DI title game and emerge as the first team to beat BHS twice in one season.

Liberty's previous victory over the Drillers came on Nov. 7 with a 21-14 decision.

In the semifinal rematch, the Patriot defense held BHS scoreless throughout the second half and were mainly led by 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker Krys Barnes, who helped neutralize the Drillers' outside running attack with his reaction and tackling.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Mariscal - who's a two-way warning for opponents as a speedy offensive option and ball hawking defensive back - rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns against an athletic Driller defense.

Liberty (10-2) now travels to Fresno to take on the section's No. 1 seed Edison-Fresno (11-1) on Friday, Dec. 5, at Sunnyside High School.

TIGERS AVOID SCARE AGAINST YOUNG, FEISTY CLOVIS

It was the wildest seven minutes that was ever witnessed by Edison-Fresno against upset-minded Clovis at Sunnyside High.

Down by 14 points and staring at a shocking exit in the DI semifinals, the top-seeded Tigers rallied with 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, punching their ticket to the DI final in the 21-14 victory over the Cougars in the Central Section playoffs.

Khai Williams - one of a handful of national recruits at running back on EHS - scored twice on runs of 6 and 2 yards, with his last touchdown breaking the 14-14 tie.

The momentum shifter, though, started with an unlikely playmaker on this Nov. 28 night: linebacker Chris Allison. With the Cougars driving and seeking to extend their lead to 21-6, Allison stripped the football out of the hands of Clovis workhorse running back Adam Prentice and pounced on the loose ball at the CHS 33-yard line. The big play occurred with 5:20 left in the contest.

The turnover led to quarterback Hunter Swearingen calling his own number and taking a 5-yard scoring run, cutting the EHS deficit to 14-12. Swearingen followed with a scoring lob to Fresno State commit A.J. Greeley for the 2-point conversion, tying the game at 14-14.

It's the first time Edison will play for a section championship since the 2009 season, when former Tigers Tevin McDonald, Rykeem Yates and Wesley Flowers led Edison to the DII championship. 

THREE CENTRAL SECTION TEAMS CONTINUE ITS RESURGENCE

We've witnessed the renaissance of Hanford, Madera and Immanuel football in the 559; as all three teams are now playing for section championships next Friday night.

Here's their turnaround stories:

• Hanford lost 16 of its last 21 games prior to this season, including a 1-9 finish in 2012. The Bullpups (11-1) knocked off defending section D IV champion Bakersfield Christian 40-21 behind quarterback Ryan Johnson's 13-of-14 passing for 175 yards and Joseph McDaniel's 125 rushing yards. It's the first time Hanford will play for a section championship since the 2008 season. The Bullpups have also never won a section football title in school history.

•  Madera had seven consecutive losing seasons before starting this year 6-0, then sealing its spot against Hanford in the DIII championship. The Coyotes (9-3) got Evan Rios to boot a 32-yard field goal in the second overtime to eliminate Mission Oak-Tulare 31-28 in their semifinal contest. Madera's previous best season came in 2006, when the Coyotes finished 7-4.   

• Immanuel-Reedley endured back-to-back winless campaigns in the Central Sequoia League and 1-9 marks in the 2010 and  '11 seasons; leaving former IHS head coach and current school superintendent Ryan Wood with the decision to get the Eagles out of the CSL and go independent. Since then, IHS has gone to the playoffs in the last three seasons under head coach Matt Armstrong and on Nov. 28, clinched its spot in the DV title game after a 29-14 home win over Fowler. Under Armstrong, the Eagles have won 21 of their last 36 games.

PASO ROBLES-NEWBURY PARK TO HAVE PLENTY OF STAR POWER

It's rare for college football coaches at the NCAA Division I level to travel to Paso Robles' War Memorial Stadium at Flamson Middle School for a football game. But there could be a good number of them for the CIF Southern Section Northern Division title battle.

Paso Robles (12-1) and Newbury Park (11-2) will have five CFB recruits on the field for the Dec. 5 showdown.

The Bearcats, a 28-21 winner against PAC 5 rival Arroyo Grande on Nov. 28, features three NCAA DI commits: athlete Bailey Gaither (San Jose State), tight end/outside linebacker Josh Oliver (SJSU) and TE/OLB Jonathan Baldwin (Northern Arizona).

Newbury Park - who escaped Atascadero 49-48 at home on Nov. 28 - will feature Darick and Darnay Holmes; two explosive offensive stars holding a combined 25 scholarship offers between them. Darick, the Class of 2015 recruit, committed to the University of Arizona of the PAC-12. Darnay is already one of the top 2017 prospects in the nation with 17 offers. Some of his pledges have come from Mississippi State, Ohio State, UCLA and USC.

Paso Robles leapfrogs PAC 5 rival to clinch section title game spot

Bailey Gaither of Paso Robles scored the final climatic touchdown against Arroyo Grande, when he hopped over an Eagles defender en route to a 70-yard touchdown with 42 seconds left in the 28-21 victory at Doug Hitchen Stadium (photo by Lorenzo J. Reyna).

To clear the final hurdle and advance to its first CIF Southern Section title game since 2000, Paso Robles literally received a hurdle from one of its own: Bailey Gaither.

The senior caught a swing pass toward the left sidelines, hopped over an incoming Arroyo Grande defender, then used his 4.4 40-yard dash speed to zoom into the end zone with 42 seconds left, lifting the Bearcats to a 28-21 road victory over the Eagles on Friday, Nov. 28, at Doug Hitchen Stadium.

The victory puts the Bearcats (12-1) against Newbury Park (11-2) at Flamson Middle School in Paso on Friday, Dec. 5, for the section's Northern Division championship.

Gaither - the San Jose State commit - has 56 career touchdowns at the varsity level, but how special was his last score with seconds left in the game?

"That was definitely the best one. To do that for my team and get us to the championship, it doesn't get much better than that," Gaither said. "They've been biting on us the whole time (when AG was on defense). But I got the ball in my hands and made that play."

On the final offensive play for Arroyo Grande, quarterback Sawyer May rolled to his right and flung a deep pass down the right sideline, but the ball fell into the Bearcat sidelines, igniting the PRHS players and the fans who took the drive down Highway 101 to watch their team play. 

Paso's other playmaker was Gaither's future teammate at SJSU: Josh Oliver. The versatile 6-foot-5, 225-pound tight end and linebacker started the game with a 28-yard interception for the touchdown, giving the Bearcats an early 7-0 lead.

From there, both teams combined for five more interceptions, with Arroyo Grande snatching four of Paso quarterback Justin Davis' throws. Bradley Mickey led AG with two picks, returning both of them for scores of 28 and 34 yards.

The Bearcats, though, turned to their size on the line, Gaither's inside running and Oliver's receiving. Oliver scored another touchdown on a 77-yard swing pass in the third quarter that tied it 21-21. Then came Gaither's final big play of the evening, which was his longest play from scrimmage against AG.

BALDWIN CHOOSES FCS SCHOOL

Jonathan Baldwin, the Bearcats' third NCAA Division I prospect at tight end and linebacker, told Cali Gold Mine that he's ended his recruiting process and committed to a football scholarship with Northern Arizona University last week.

The versatile 6-foot-3, 220-pound Baldwin said he'll line up at tight end for the Lumberjacks, who finished the regular season 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Sky Conference.

Baldwin added that he plans to major in Kinesiology at NAU. He held one other Big Sky offer from Sacramento State.

Clovis junior high players could headline 2020 class

Kendall Milton of Clovis' Alta Sierra Middle School is already considered one of the top players in the Class of 2020 because of his skill set at running back. The seventh grader has also lined up at safety and has early interest from Southeastern Conference schools and PAC-12 programs (photo contributed).

Kendall Milton and Matt Merritt aren't in high school yet, but the Clovis residents have already captured the attention of a few NCAA Division I programs.

Milton, a seventh grade running back, and Merritt, a fellow seventh grader and lineman, have been recognized nationally by youth sports websites for their play and academics.

Here's a closer look at the Clovis Youth Football stars:

KENDALL MILTON

Milton is currently 12 years old, but with his growing chiseled 5-foot-11, 161-pound frame, the son of a personal trainer and nephew of former NFL linebacker Kevin Hardy looks like he could line up in a varsity backfield already.

His play on the football field is also getting LSU, Alabama and a few PAC-12 schools to take an early look at him.

Milton shows that he's clearly a man among boys on Saturday afternoons. His vision, power and elusiveness are traits that few running backs at the youth level - and even the high school level - currently have. He allows his holes to develop, and then takes off sprinting like he's in a track and field dash. His burst through a hole and second gear makes him look like a young Knowshon Moreno. His current 40-yard dash time is 4.8.

His work ethic off the field adds to his impressive play. Milton chooses the gym over playing video and cell phone games. His first appearance inside a weight room came at the age of 8. Since then, he's worked on footwork and lifting exercises five days a week. Along with his 40 time, he's cleared 48 inches on the box jump.

Lastly, Milton carries a 3.8 grade point average and was recently named to two prestigious all-star games: the Brett Cooper Junior Academic All-American game in Dallas on Jan. 3, 2015 and the Cal State Game in Visalia scheduled for December 2014.

Films on Milton:

MATT MERRITT

Merritt - who attends Alta Sierra with Milton - already has versatility. He's paved running lanes at both guard and tackle and he clogs the middle at defensive tackle.

The thing I admire the most about Merritt so far? He doesn't stop running and he looks for someone to block. He's one of the lead blockers for his team and for Milton.

Most offensive linemen at the youth level and even high school ranks don't often run down the field during the play. But Merritt doesn't slow down until the whistle is blown.

Like Milton, Merritt will continue to grow. He's another academic youth football standout with invites to the Brett Cooper showcase and the Cal State game.

Quarterfinal highlights: Arroyo Grande's smallest playmaker is 'Brave' enough to help end Lompoc's run

Alexander Cecchi of Arroyo Grande - all 5-foot-8, 145-pounds of him - had to find a way to step up against the undefeated behemoth known as Lompoc High with the rest of his Eagle teammates on Friday, Nov. 21.

Cecchi and AG ended up knocking the giant to its knees; and shook up the Southern Section.

The junior snatched two interceptions against Braves quarterback Joseph Osegueda, then added a late 6-yard touchdown run as the Eagles eliminated the No. 1 seed in the Northern Division 28-3 at Doug Hitchen Stadium.

Cecchi grabbed his first pick during the third quarter and returned it to the AG 43. That takeaway helped set up Jordan Harrigan's 22-yard scamper for the score, extending the Eagle lead to 21-3. Cecchi's second interception was made at the 2-yard line, where he jumped for the ball, took off running down the left sidelines and was tackled at the AG 28-yard line.

Harrigan finished with two touchdowns on the evening, with his first score on a 50-yard dash that saw him dart to the left, the cut right against a defender squared up on him and stampeded down the middle of the field for the longest touchdown of the game.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak versus the Braves and ends Lompoc's season at 11-1.

Arroyo Grande improved to 11-2 and will return home for Black Friday (Nov. 28) against PAC-5 rival Paso Robles (11-1). The Bearcats trounced Palmdale 49-16 to clinch their spot in the Northern Division.

YOUNG CLOVIS HIGH COUGARS ARE PROVING THEY'RE BIG CATS

Before the season started, Clovis High looked more like a team that would contend for a Central Section Division I championship next season, with 40 of the Cougars' 63-member varsity roster consisting of underclassmen.

But CHS, clearly, isn't waiting on next year. The Cougars proved they're young, hungry and focused on clawing for the DI crown, after stunning powerhouse Clovis North 28-17 at Veterans Memorial Stadium and putting themselves in the semifinals against top seeded Edison-Fresno on Friday, Nov. 28.

Junior wide receiver J.J. Wills streaked past Clovis North's secondary for a 55-yard touchdown bomb. Sophomore tight end Clayton Alexander added a 2-yard scoring reception. And on defense, junior linebacker Jared Hill pounced on a fumble and leading tackler and fellow junior Tanner Rice threw his 5-foot-11, 215-pound frame around to prevent the Broncos' top thoroughbred, Bolu Olurunfunmi, from wearing down the CHS defense.

The young Cougars did get an assist from two of their oldest playmakers: Adam Prentice and Evan Geiger. The senior running back Prentice scored twice and averaged 10.7 yards per carry on the ground. Geiger, a senior quarterback, threw for 109 yards and tossed the two touchdown throws to Wills and Alexander.

Clovis High is now all that's left from the Clovis Unified School District in the section  postseason.

SMALL CITY SHOWDOWN HAS TWO TEAMS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO ONE ANOTHER

Next Friday at Tiger Stadium will book a Central Section Division II battle between two teams strikingly similar to one another: Dinuba and Lemoore.

Consider the following:

1) Dinuba has an athletic defense spearheaded by 6-foot-4, 230-pound end Nick Villalobos, the Emperors leader in sacks with seven. Lemoore has its own fast bookend who starts the engine for the Tigers: 6-foot-3, 245-pound Zack Frazier, who has a section leading 15 sacks.

2) The Tigers' Cort Groathouse and the Emps' Isaac Leppke are dual-threats at quarterback.

3) Lastly, Dinuba's pass defense has collected 16 interceptions this season. Lemoore has the same number of takeaways.

Unless Lemoore residents plan to do a full day of Black Friday shopping, a full house is imminent at Tiger Stadium for this intriguing contest.

Great Scott - rookie Salesian defender is suddenly a wanted prospect on the recruiting trail

Kevin Scott of Salesian-Los Angeles has gone from first-year defensive tackle to a wanted recruit for the Class of 2015. Scott, who has a team-high 11 sacks, landed his first three scholarship offers during the week of Nov. 16 (photo contributed).

In a span of 48 hours, Kevin Scott of Salesian High School in Los Angeles went from aspiring basketball player to a fast rising defensive tackle prospect.

The Class of 2015 recruit, who had never played football before until this season, came home to three scholarship offers from the University of Ohio, San Diego State and New Mexico State. All of his pledges came between Nov. 16-18.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Scott said he didn't take long to appreciate his new sport.

"I've been playing basketball my whole life. But once I stepped onto that field, I developed a passion for the game," Scott said.

His rookie season has been dominant. Scott has used a quick first step off the snap to dismantle running backs and quarterbacks. He's used an array of moves from the swim to the spin to beat offensive linemen. He has 26 tackles, a team-high 11 sacks and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage for the 5-6 Mustangs, who'll meet Burbank High on Friday, Nov. 21, in the CIF Southern Section Southeast Division Playoffs.

Scott said his basketball background gives him the upper hand when he battles against different blocking schemes on Friday nights.

"In basketball, all you do is run, so I'm faster than most defensive and offensive linemen," Scott said. "So my speed off the ball is pretty good. Defenders have to be athletic and need to be on their feet anyway. Because of my basketball background, it's easy for me to move around offensive linemen and make plays for my team."

He's reached the three sack threshold twice this season: the Sept. 12 contest against View Park-LA (won 56-12) and Oct. 11 against L.A. Cathedral (lost 58-20).

Scott said he's hearing from other programs outside of Ohio, SDSU and NMSU. The University of Washington, Fresno State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have talked to him on the phone. He adds that South Carolina has spoken to his coaches.

Is Scott going to a make his recruiting choice soon?

"I'll let the process play out," Scott said. "Any schools that want to talk to me and offer me, I'll wait on them until National Signing Day."

In the mean time, Scott said he's trying to stay calm during an excitable rush with his recruiting process.

Said Scott: "Sometimes, I'm amazed at myself with how fast I've caught on with football and how good I became. But I like to keep my head above my shoulders and stay humble, because I know there's always someone trying to work as hard as I am."

Scott's film can be seen here.

Driller killers? Buchanan now eyeing state DI champs, and perhaps another playoff shocker

Buchanan-Clovis outside linebacker and defensive end Bryson Young is helping lead a rejuvenated Bears team into Bakersfield for a Friday, Nov. 21, playoff meeting against the 2013 state champs Bakersfield High (photo contributed).

A 2-8 regular season mark in high school football is normally frowned upon by coaches, players and parents.

But in the case of Buchanan High, the Bears can get away with smiling at their win-loss record.

Because their 2014-15 season hasn't ended yet.

It's all stemming from the No. 11 seeded Bears shaking up the Central Section Division I playoffs on Friday, Nov. 14, as Buchanan knocked off section beast Bullard - the No. 6 seed - with a 35-29 stunner.

Senior quarterback Logan McQuay said despite the eight losses, the Bears never lost trust in one another.

"Our record is obviously not one we expected or are happy with. But it definitely has no effect on our confidence at all," McQuay said. "We are a confident team. The eight losses have definitely made us better based on game experience, learning to take the ups and downs of a game and the mindset it's given us to continue to play each week."

That says a lot for a team that's had numerous of heartbreakers, which would've tested anyone's self-esteem on the football field.

The season began with Buchanan falling short against Edison 13-7 in a contest that saw the Bears winning the line of scrimmage battle and limiting the explosive plays against the loaded Tigers.

What followed were three more regular season loses to Bullard, Clovis West and Clovis North; all decided by a margin of 14 points or fewer. Victories against those opponents and Edison would have given Buchanan a more respectable 6-4 record.

But McQuay said he and the Bears haven't dwelled on what could have been.

"Despite the record, we as a team feel confident that we are capable of competing with anyone in the Central Valley," McQuay said. "And the same can be said for us to now take that momentum from the Bullard win and head into Bakersfield strong."

The No. 3 seeded Bakersfield High Drillers (8-2) will present a different look than what Bullard brought against the Bears. The reigning section and state DI champs will have speed all across the Griffith Stadium grass. Bakersfield prefers to wear down opponents with a triple option attack and getting its running backs - Lameshio Hill and Marcus Bruce - to accelerate through the gaping holes on pitch plays to the outside or through its inside dive runs.

Defensively, the Drillers use 6-foot-1, 285-pound rock Nigel Brooks to emerge as the unmovable force on the line. The nose tackle, who's a national recruit with four scholarship offers, leads the Drillers with seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

The Buchanan defense, though, has its rock setting the tone for the unit: Class of 2016 outside linebacker/defensive end prospect Bryson Young.

It was Young who threw Bullard's offensive game plan into dismay with his ability to crash down at the line of scrimmage and halt running plays. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Young added his athletic side on one play, when he scooped up a loose ball and thundered his way to a 36-yard fumble recovery for the touchdown in the six-point victory.

Young, who holds scholarship offers from Colorado State and Fresno State, said the defense sparks the Bears.

"Our defense has improved tremendously, especially over the summer. Our defense is definitely our team weapon," Young said. "Our primary goal is simple: get the ball back. We always set a goal to get three turnovers a game, which is usually achieved or close to it."

 

Young and the Bear defense have allowed 21 points or less in five games this season. He said he thinks opposing teams will still likely underestimate Buchanan because of its current 3-8 mark.

 

"I believe that every team we face judges us based on our record," Young said. "But we came into the game (against Bullard) believing we would win and now we're just hungry to play another week."

While Central Valley prep football fans might consider a Buchanan victory over Bakersfield an upset, McQuay wants to downplay that notion. He said his team is expected to compete and hang with the Drillers.

"To us, the only way this is considered an upset is strictly based on records and ranks," McQuay said. "We can play with anyone, expect to win and, when we do win, we hope it's not called an upset." 

Game information: The Buchanan and Bakersfield match up starts at 7 p.m. inside Griffith Stadium. The victorious team will play the Clovis West/Liberty-Bakersfield winner in the DI semifinals on Friday, Nov. 28.

 

 

 

Rising star watch: Ruben Guerra

Liberty-Bakersfield's Ruben Guerra - who holds no scholarship offers - has been the Patriots' go-to blocker when they need to have running lanes open. Guerra is a 6-foot-5 left tackle prospect (photo contributed).

In the trenches at Liberty-Bakersfield stands a towering, 6-foot-5, 290-pound specimen who could be the most intriguing lineman for the Patriots since Cody Temple (USC, Class of 2010 graduate of LHS).

The skyscraper on the Patriot line is 2015 prospect Ruben Guerra.

Guerra's size at left tackle might be what makes him a coveted prospect, but it's what he does with his size that gets me thinking he can be a fixture for a four-year program's front line.

Here's a closer look at Guerra:

WHAT TO LIKE: He's a prowler in the run game. He does an excellent job with locking his palms, sinking his hips, then driving his legs forward so he can bury his blocking assignment to the grass. He won't stop blocking on first contact. Shows good hips in pass blocking and stays squared up with his defender. Lastly, he dominates his one-on-one battles. 

WHAT TO BUILD ON: He's slow off the ball once it's snapped. He doesn't show the quickest feet during pass blocking, which could be a red flag for a college seeking a blind side protector.

OVERALL: He may not be the best athlete on the Liberty line, but Guerra certainly makes up for that with his mean streak, which to me should be more desirable for college coaches. His run blocking reminds me of former Reedley High standout Ivan Espiritu, who's now lining up for the Sacramento State line. Guerra could be a solid right tackle or guard at the next level. He's the top road clearer for the Patriots' most dynamic athlete: University of Arizona commit Anthony Mariscal.