Page 15 - Mid Valley Times 10-17-19 E-edition

Dinuba falls to Selma in league rivalry game
Reedley College
Tigers
move up in
rankings
MVT Staff Report
The Reedley College Tiger football team is back in the state’s top 25 in both state polls.
The 4-1 Tigers, who were idle this Saturday, are ranked 25th in the lat- est Junior College Athletic Bureau poll after receiv- ing votes last week.
In the California Com- munity College Sports Information Association poll, Reedley moved up from 25th to 21st.
In the Nor Cal Ameri- can Division poll, Reed- ley is ranked third behind unbeaten Foothill and Monterey Peninsula even though the Tigers have as many poll points as the MPC Lobos.
The 2019 Reedley Col- lege football Tigers will return from a bye to host the Gavilan College Rams this Saturday afternoon at Reedley High School’s Sal Gonzalez Field. The 1 pm contest is also Homecom- ing for the 4-1 Tigers.
Gavilan brings a five- game losing streak and a season record of 1-5 into the contest. The Rams won their season opener 24-7 over Los Medanos before falling to College of the Redwoods (in two overtimes), DeAnza, un- defeated Monterey Penin- sula, Hartnell and Foothill (41-17). Gavilan has been outscored 127-20 in their last three games.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Emperors will face tough challenge tomorrow night against undefeated Kingsburg
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
The turnover bug hit the Dinuba High football team in a 36-23 loss to Selma Friday night.
The Bears had an in- terception and two fum- ble recoveries as Selma improved to 6-1 overall while the Emperors drop to 2-5 and 0-2 in Central Sequoia League play.
With two more games remaining, Dinuba will need to pull off an up- set tomorrow night at Kingsburg to keep its post season hopes alive. Kingsburg is ranked No. 1 in Division III and 7-0 overall after defeating Central Valley Christian, 34-20.
Selma, whose defense held the Emperors rush- ing attack to 1 yard on 23 carries, took its first lead of the game in the third quarter on a touchdown run by Adam Rodriguez, 22-17. On the ensuing kickoff, the Emperors coughed up the football putting Selma in excel- lent field position. The Bears however were de- nied as Dinuba forced a punt.
With the ball at the
George M. Villagrana / Mid Valley Times
Dinuba High wide receiver Gabriel Moreno caught five passes for 66 yards during the Emperor's 36-23 loss to league rival Selma on Oct. 11. Despite senior quarterback Josh Magaña throwing for 353 yards while completing 29 of his 38 attempts, and throwing two touch- downs, Dinuba suffered their second league loss and fifth overall game under new coach Carlos Barajas. Turnover may have been the difference in the game.
Their schedule doesn't get any easier. Tomorrow night they will face undefeated Kingsburg, who is currently ranked the No. 1 team in Division III.
20 yard line, the Emper- ors moved near midfield before another fumble killed the drive. The de- fense again stepped up to shut down the Bears.
Quarterback Josh Magaña, who finished the game with 353 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 38 attempts, was in- tercepted at the Emper- ors 46 yard line. Selma turned into points on an TD reception to Aaron Blancas from quarter- back Joey Ramirez to push the lead to 29-17 late
in the third quarter. The Emperors marched deep into Bears territory and Selma’s de- fense came up with two consecutive quarterback sacks to gain posses- sion of the ball at the 30 yard line. The Bears then went on a 10 play, 70 yard drive that chewed up nearly 8 minutes of the clock capped off by a short TD run by Aaron
Moreno.
Dinuba running back
Josiah Reyes would score on a short run for the fi-
nal points of the game. Reyes finished the game with a team-high seven receptions for 80 yards.
In the first half, Di- nuba got on the board first with a Magaña TD running back pass to Bryan Ruiz. Selma would answer on a score from Ramirez and a successful 2-point conversion made the score 8-7.
The Emperors went ahead 14-8 on a score from Magaña to An- gel Lopez. After a TD from the Bears, Dinuba
regained the lead on a 39-yard field goal from Cesar Lopez for a 17-15 lead.
Wide receiver Gabriel Moreno caught five pass- es for 66 yards and Brian Campbell had four recep- tions for 76 yards.
Defensively for DHS, Johnny Garcia had four tackles and assisted on six others and Ethan Es- pinosa ended the night with seven tackles. Cris- tobal Ramos recorded a sack and recovered a fumble.
Sanger offense held in check, loses key battle to Bullard
Sanger will host Madera South tomorrow night for homecoming
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
The Apache’s quest for a league title this year suffered a setback on Fri- day, Oct. 11, after Sanger fell to one of the league’s top contenders, Bullard, 29-15.
“They are definitely the biggest and fastest team we’ve played this year,” said Sanger head football coach Jorge Pe- na of Friday’s loss to the Knights. “It was a differ- ent speed all together for us.”
It appeared the game would go as coach Pena predicted, as last week he expected a hard fought four-quarter battle be- tween the two teams, es- pecially after Sanger once again took their opening drive in the first quarter to pay dirt.
After forcing Bullard to punt on their opening possession, the Apach- es quickly moved into striking position. From the Bullard 21-yard-line, Sanger’s senior quarter- back Noel Collazo hooked up with classmate Dolce Calandra on a crossing
route to score the teams’, and the games, first touchdown.
Sanger would hold on the to the lead after the first quarter, forcing the Knights to settle for a 33-yard field goal after starting inside Apache territory late in the first quarter.
But the Knights would find the end zone four minutes into the second quarter when Bullard se- nior quarterback Jaden Pierucci hit junior T’ky Posey for a 6-yard touch- down pass.
It was Bullard’s first touchdown of the game. It wouldn’t be their last.
Though the Apaches were able to keep the score close at halftime by stopping two Bullard red zone opportunities, one in which they forced a field goal attempt as the Knights were stopped on third-and-five at the Sanger 5-yard-line (result- ing in a failed attempt that sailed wide left), it was the Knights who came out of the break firing on all cylinders.
Bullard’s defense did what most teams have not
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Sanger High junior running back Morgan Privett could hardly keep his footing against a stifling Bullard defensive front. Privett carried the ball seven times for a net total of 34 yards during the Apache's 29-15 loss to the Knights on Oct. 11.
been able to do against the Apache’s triple option of- fense, they forced Sanger to throw the ball.
In last week’s domi- nant performance against Madera, Collazo threw the ball three times. Friday, against the Knights and faced with more third- and-longs than the team is used to, the senior quarterback threw 19 times, completing 8 and
throwing one intercep- tion. He was also sacked five times.
“If we’re in third-and- long most of the game, that’s not a good situation for Sanger,” said Pena. “Or for any team, for that matter.”
Pena credited the Bul- lard defensive line with being able to stop the run and take them out of their game plan.
“Their defensive line is really good,” he said of Bullard’s ability to stop the run. “That’s where youwinorloseagame– is up front.”
That defense resulted in Sanger turning the ball over on downs to open the third quarter, giving the Knights excellent field position to start their first drive of the second half.
They took full advan-
tage.
Pressing forward, the
Knights found the end zone again on a 1-yard run by running back Kobe Jenkins. It would be the first of three touchdowns for the senior running back.
Jenkins scored again on a 2-yard run in the closing seconds of the
See APACHES on page B2