High School Football Notebook: Sneak Playoff Peek

• CVC is Tulare County’s best hope for a No. 1 seed
• Dinuba in good position for the No. 3 seed in Division II
• Mission Oak has a chance at grabbing one of the top two seeds in Division III

We’re less than three weeks away from the Nov. 8 Central Section playoff seeding meeting, and the task in front of the section commissioners is starting to become clear-cut in several instances — although there could be some grumblings on how each of the bracket’s lower seeds are deciphered.

What should make things less complicated in the seeding meeting is that there are no more than three or four teams in each bracket that have a chance at one of the top two seeds.

Here’s a look at each of the six Central Section playoff brackets:

Division I

The skinny: The CIF rule that states that only section champions should be considered for CIF regional championship game invites could very well mean that the winner of the Central Section Division I championship will earn a spot in the Southern California Division I regional game; just like last year when Bakersfield went on to win the CIF State Division I bowl game. Edison (6-1) and Bakersfield (6-1) were ranked No. 8 and No. 9 in last week’s Cal Hi Sports’ CIF Southern California Division I bowl poll, and six of the teams ranked ahead of them were all from the Southern Section’s Pac-5 (and only one of those teams can end up advancing). However, Edison’s 15-14 upset loss to Sanger on Friday may have changed that outlook. Clovis North (4-3) could be a dark horse, but injury issues diminish its title hopes.

Tulare County impact: El Diamante’s hopes of a top-5 seed were shattered with its current four-game losing streak. Now the Miners need to win two out of their final three games to advance to the playoffs, and not one of those three games (Redwood, Lemoore, Golden West) is considered a probable win after the Miners lost 35-21 to Hanford West on Friday.

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. Bakersfield, 2. Edison, 3. Clovis North, 4. Liberty

Projected seeds: 1. Edison, 2. Bakersfield, 3. Liberty, 4. Clovis North

Division II

The skinny: Ridgeview (6-1) is the clear favorite. The Wolf Pack are ranked No. 6 in the latest Cal Hi Sports poll for the CIF Southern California Division II bowl bracket. Their lone loss was to Bakersfield. Lemoore may spoil Ridgeview’s bid for the No. 1 seed. Lemoore (8-0) is two projected wins away from finishing 10-0. Don’t believe Ridgeview should be punished for playing a top nonleague opponent, and it has demonstrated that it deserves the No. 1 seed if it finishes 9-1. Dinuba (7-1) would in the hunt for one of the top two seeds if not for a lopsided 30-7 loss to Hanford. To have a chance at the No. 2 seed, the Emperors need the Bullpups to do the same thing when the Bullpups face Lemoore in the Nov. 7 Milk Can Game.

Tulare County impact: Dinuba will lead a county contingent that should include Redwood (3-4) and Tulare Union (4-3). Redwood needs to win two of its last three games to advance to the postseason, and the Redskins need one more win. If Redwood is able to recapture its early-season magic, they should make things interesting — the Rangers clearly outplayed Lemoore for much of the first half in their Sept. 26 meeting (a 28-14 Lemoore win) and also boast a win over Sanger. Tulare Union has the offensive firepower to give any team fits, especially with sophomore quarterback Josh Guerrero continuing to develop into a quality decision-maker.

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. Ridgeview, 2. Dinuba, 3. Lemoore, 4. Sanger

Projected seeds: 1. Ridgeview, 2. Lemoore, 3. Dinuba, 4. San Joaquin Memorial

Division III

The skinny: Very competitive bracket at the top with Hanford (8-0), Madera (6-1) and Mission Oak (6-1). Hanford’s on-field prowess has been a big surprise, but the results strong suggest that it should be labeled the favorite to win the Division III championship plaque. Madera’s record is expected to be bruised up a little bit over the next two weeks (Sanger, Edison), but it still can make a great argument for the No. 1 seed. Mission Oak has the defense to contain Hanford and Madera, but is its offense too reliant on big plays to win it all?

Tulare County impact: Mission Oak needs to win the East Yosemite League championship outright to be named the No. 2 seed, and it needs Hanford to lose its last two games to have a chance at the No. 1 seed. Feel a little bit uneasy about Tulare Western’s chances after the injuries suffered by senior standouts Casey Bernardo and Drew Muller. Still, the Mustangs (5-2) are in position for a top-4 seed if it wins a share of the EYL title. Mt. Whitney (3-4) is looking at a top-8 seed if it can qualify for the postseason (Pioneers need to win one more game to clinch a .500 league record).

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. Hanford, 2. Madera, 3. Mission Oak, 4. Bakersfield Christian

Projected seeds: 1. Hanford, 2. Mission Oak, 3. Madera, 4. Bakersfield Christian

Division IV

The skinny: CVC (6-1) still has a chance at earning an invite to the CIF Southern California Division IV regional championship game if it can win the Central Section Division IV crown. The Cavaliers are ranked No. 3 in the state’s top computer poll (Calpreps.com) and No. 8 in the state’s top human poll (Calhisports.com). The two biggest obstacles for the Cavaliers figure to Liberty-Madera Ranchos (7-0), the 2013 Division V champion and Golden West (3-4). Yes, the Trailblazers are a viable contender to win the Division IV championship. Cesar Chavez (6-1) is the dark horse in this bracket. The Titans could end up sharing the South Sequoia League crown with Bakersfield Christian and Wasco.

Tulare County impact: CVC is three projected wins away from being the No. 1 seed. However, it should be noted that 10-0 teams have a history of being rewarded at seeding time. So we shouldn’t be shocked if Liberty Madera-Ranchos gets the No. 1 nod over the Cavaliers. Golden West is in great position for the No. 3 seed. But the Trailblazers must still meet the school district mandate (.500 overall or league record) to advance to the posteason; which means they must win two out of their last three games (Hanford West, Mt. Whitney and El Diamante). If Golden West winds up with the Sid Hosking Trophy, I don’t think there’s any way that it is seeded below No. 4.

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. CVC, 2. Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 3. Golden West, 4. Cesar Chavez

Projected seeds: 1. CVC, 2. Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 3. Cesar Chavez, 4. Golden West

Division V

The skinny: Immanuel (6-1) nearly became the Central Section’s top hopeful for an invite to a CIF Southern California regional championship game. The Eagles entered last week ranked No. 7 in Cal Hi Sports’ Southern California Division IV bowl poll with a chance to move up with a nonleague game against Santa Barbara’s Bishop Diego, ranked No. 4 in the same poll. However, Bishop Diego downed Immanuel 20-17 in overtime Saturday in Reedley. Kern Valley (7-0) may be the best team in the bracket, but the High Desert league team is unable to host a playoff game because of its league’s deal to transfer to the Central Section (three years with no home playoff games). We’ll have a better idea if Immanuel is the prohibitive favorite after it travels to Farmersville (6-1) this week.

Tulare County impact: If you take away Farmersville’s poor showing against McLane (a 55-21 loss to the Highlanders), it would be in the conversation for a top-4 seed in this bracket. The Aztecs need a strong showing Friday to have a chance at one of the top four seeds. Woodlake (4-3) could be a top-6 seed if it earns at least a share of the East Sequoia League title. Farmersville should be seeded above Woodlake, given its 50-21 win over Woodlake.

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. Immanuel, 2. Kern Valley, 3. Mendota, 4. Fowler

Projected seeds: 1. Immanuel, 2. Kern Valley, 3. Mendota, 4. Farmersville

Division VI

The skinny: RFK (6-2) is one of the best stories in the section this season. The Thunderbirds, noted for their futility in their first five years (three straight 0-10 campaigns followed by back-to-back 2-8 seasons in 2012 and 2013), are smack in the middle of the title picture for this bracket. Avenal (6-1) has the better looking record, but RFK is 4-0 against fellow Division VI teams and should not be punished for playing quality teams — the Thunderbirds have lost South Sequoia League games to Bakersfield Christian and Wasco. Sierra Pacific (6-1) and California City (4-3) are in the mix.

Tulare County impact: Granite Hills (2-5) and Strathmore (3-4) both have losing overall records and have begun East Sequoia League play with 0-2 marks. If the Grizzlies and Spartans opt to go to the postseason, they would be top-8 seeds.

Current Times-Delta/Advance-Register rankings: 1. RFK, 2. Avenal, 3. Sierra Pacific, 4. California City.

Projected seeds: 1. Avenal (the Buccaneers will have the better-looking record), 2. Sierra Pacific (hard not to award the Golden Bears the No. 2 seed if they finish 9-1; their lone loss was a 24-21 decision to Avenal), 3. RFK, 4. Riverdale.

Playbook Review

A look at last week’s top developments:

Best win of the week: Woodlake. The Tigers 4-3, 2-0) immediately turned into top contenders for the East Sequioa League championship with Friday’s 14-6 win over preseason favorite Corcoran. Woodlake takes on Lindsay (1-6, 1-1), which won its first game with a 17-7 decision over Granite Hills. If the Tigers defeat the Cardinals, it essentially makes their Oct. 31 visit to Hanford’s Neighbor Bowl — the Tigers will take on Sierra Pacific (6-1, 2-0) — the league’s championship game.

Close call: Porterville visits Tulare Union on Thursday. The last time these two teams met at Bob Mathias Stadium, they set a CIF state record for most points in a game (165) in Porterville’s 86-79 win. That record almost fell Friday night in a North Coast Section game between Tennyson-Hayward and Castro Valley. Tennyson won 85-77 in overtime. Tennyson quarterback Christian Silva rushed for 260 yards, passed for 291 yards, and accounted for seven touchdowns. What makes the Porterville-Tulare Union game even more remarkable is that is was a regulation game (no overtime). The Tennyson-Castro Valley game was tied 77-77 at the end of regulation.

Laton loses numbers game: Sam Metcalf’s assault on the Central Section record book for single-season marks took a hit last week with Laton forfeiting its East Sierra League game Friday against Farmersville. Laton told Farmersville that it did not have enough players for the contest. According to the Hanford Sentinel, Laton (0-7) was down to 11 players. Laton’s current roster on Maxpreps.com lists just nine players. Laton is scheduled to play at Orosi on Friday.

Bob Mathias Award Watch (top performances):

Macintyre Garbani, CVC: Garbani led a CVC rushing attack that netted 224 yards in the Cavaliers’ 42-15 win over Exeter. Garbani posted four touchdown runs, and had a game-high 128 yards on 22 carries.

Romello Harris, Tulare Union: Harris crossed the end zone four times in the Redskins’ 55-35 homecoming win over Delano. Harris had 127 yards rushing on 15 carries, and had four catches for 38 yards.

Le’Andre Jefferson, Mission Oak: You can make a very sound argument that Jefferson is the Central Section’s top big-play threat. It doesn’t matter where the Hawks are on the field, he’s a major threat to score if he touches the ball. He proved that again Thursday night in the Hawks’ 41-13 win over Monache. Jefferson scored four touchdowns — a 79-yard pass from quarterback Trey McJunkin, a 14-yard reception, a 99-yard kickoff return and an 11-yard run.

Isaiah Jones, Porterville: Jones, a junior running back, has been over the century mark in six of the Panthers’ seven games. He went well past the 100-yard barrier in the Panthers’ 49-28 win over Tulare Western on Thursday. Jones rushed for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He was a one-man highlight show in the third quarter with scoring jaunts of 81 and 69 yards, respectively.

Michael Wright, Dinuba: The Emperors’ senior running back continues to have a presence in this weekly segment. Wright rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns in Dinuba’s 34-21 win over Kingsburg.

Cream of the Crop

One view of the top five teams in Tulare County:

1. Dinuba (7-1): Unless Ridgeview or Lemoore suffer an unexpected upset, you could almost write in ink that the Emperors will be the No. 3 seed in the Central Section Division II playoff bracket. Emperors host Selma on Friday, have a bye week next week, and finish up with a home date against Exeter.

2. Mission Oak (6-1): Hawks are still in the running for the top seed in Division III. The Calpreps’ rating margin between the Hawks (ranked No. 3 amongst the section’s Division III teams) and No. 1 Hanford is smaller than the gap between the Hawks and No. 4 Tulare Western.

3. CVC (6-1): Cavaliers are in great position to be awarded the No. 1 seed for the Central Section Division IV bracket. They hold a somewhat comfortable computer rating lead over No. 2 Liberty-Madera Ranchos (7-0).

4. Tulare Union (4-3): Can the Redskins put it all together for the next three weeks? If they finish the season as the outright EYL champions, they have a very good chance of being the No. 5 seed in Division II.

5. Golden West (3-4): Trailblazers’ record took a couple of blemishes over the last two weeks in losses to Lemoore and Hanford, but they demonstrated that they may be Visalia’s best team in the WYL.

In the picture: Redwood 3-4, Porterville 2-5, Tulare Western 5-2 (Mustangs are missing some key players to their defense; without them, the unit is rather pedestrian).

Game Plan

A look at this week’s top story lines:

Seeds aren’t just for birds (top five games that will have an impactg in the November 8 playoff seeding meeting):

1. Mission Oak at Tulare Western: Hawks can’t afford a loss if they are to have a shot at one of the top two seeds in Division III. If the Mustangs win, it gives them an opportunity to stake claim to the No. 3 seed in Division III.

2. Immanuel at Farmersville: Imnmanuel (6-1) is the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 seed in Division V, but that line of thinking will change drastically if the Aztecs (6-1) pull off the upset. Farmersville could take the lead for the top Division V seed with a victory.

3. CVC at Kingsburg: Can’t imagine the Central Section playoff seeding committee not naming the Cavaliers the No. 1 Division IV seed if they close out the regular season with a 9-1 record, which would include a win over a quality Division II team like the Vikings.

4. Hanford at Mt. Whitney: Not only would an upset win by the Pioneers clinch a playoff spot for them, but it would open the door for Mission Oak to stake claim to the No. 1 seed in Division III. Mission Oak has two common opponents with Hanford — Dinuba and Mt. Whitney. Comparing the Dinuba scores is a very significant advantage for Hanford — the Bullpups defeated the Emperors 30-7 and the Hawks lost to the Emperors 19-17. Mission Oak’s most authoritative win of the season with its 43-0 win over Mt. Whitney at Mineral King Bowl. If the Pioneers can keep this game close, the Hawks have a chance to close the gap on Hanford.

5. Redwood at El Diamante: This is more about the Rangers’ chances for a top-5 seed in Division II rather than the Miners’ Division I prospects. The Rangers (3-4) need to finish with a flurry if they are to be awarded a first-round home game.