Defending section champion Bakersfield returns more than enough to earn top billing in the Central Section. Don't look past Clovis West, Central, Liberty and Sanger in the CIFCS #MaxPrepsFab5s.
Video: Justin Mcgill's highlights State Game 1 Del Oro
See the Bakersfield High star in action last season.
MaxPreps 2017 CIF Central Section Preseason Football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Bakersfield2016 record: 11-3
Head coach: Paul Golla
The Drillers return 15 starters from last year's squad including eight on offense. The section champs return their top running back receiver, defensive player and quarterback.
Their top prospect is 5-foot-11, 165-pound receiver
Justin McGill (35 catches, 876 yards, eight touchdowns), but Golla returns much more. That includes quarterback
Cameron Williams, who last season as a sophomore threw for 1,407 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 339 yards and three more scores.
Leading rusher
Shane Jones (835 yards, 10 touchdowns) also returns for the Drillers.
See the MaxPreps California Football Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard2. Clovis West (Fresno)2016 record: 8-4
Head coach: George Petrissans
Tennessee-bound QB Adrian Martinez sprints to his bench after scoring a touchdown for Clovis West.
File photo by Gary Jones
The Golden Eagles return one of the best quarterbacks in the state in 6-2, 198-pound senior
Adrian Martinez, ranked the seventh-best dual threat QB in the country.
Martinez, a Tennessee commit, threw for 2,562 yards last season, 25 touchdowns and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,462 yards and 14 more scores.
Second-leading rusher
Rodney Wright, also the team's leading receiver with 63 catches for 836 yards and five scores, returns with four other top receivers who combined for 132 catches.
Top inside linebacker
Dusty Schramm (6-1, 215) also returns for the Golden Eagles.
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3. Central (Fresno)2016 record: 11-2
Head coach: Kyle Biggs
The Grizzlies should score bushels of points in 2017 with nine returners on offense from last year's squad, including senior running back
Jevon Bigelow (6-2, 190).
Jacob Torrez (5-8, 165) has 4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash and is another big offensive threat.
Jaden Williams, a 6-0, 185-pound senior free safety, leads a young defense that returns just three starters.
Depth and team speed are strengths, according to Biggs, who is somewhat concerned about the inexperience on defense.
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4. Liberty (Bakersfield)2016 record: 8-4
Head coach: Bryan Nixon
The Patriots return 12 starters, six on each side of the ball, and plenty of talent from a stout 8-2 junior varsity team.
Among the top returners are 6-foot junior quarterback Isaiah Hill, senior two-way lineman
Michael Bray (6-3, 270) and junior running back/linebacker
Sam Stewart Jr. (5-11, 210).
With four of five returning starters on the offensive line, Nixon feels very good about the offense - especially with Hill and Stewart doing the bulk of the ball-handing. An inexperienced secondary is the team's only real concern.
See the MaxPreps California football photo galleries5. Sanger2016 record: 13-1
Head coach: Jorge Pena
Pena replaces legendary Chuck Shidan, who resigned after the most successful season in the Apaches' 117-year history. Shidan, a extremely popular figure in the section, went 203-11 in his career.
His last game was a tremendous, but bitter 49-36 loss Serra in the CIF State North Division 2-A Regional Final at Sanger's Tom Flores Stadium.
The Apaches not only lost a slew of seniors but one the section's most dynamic juniors in 6-foot, 160-pound quarterback Jalen Cropper, who transferred to Buchanan. The team is led this year by quarterback
Blake Wolf and running back
Sebastian Alba.
