At long last, high school football is set to return, and the Central Section will soon get underway as well.
And while it can't match the two state titles section teams grabbed in 2019, the shortened season should see plenty of high-quality action with Buchanan, Central (Fresno) San Joaquin Memorial and others suiting up.
The preseason rankings are MaxPreps' computer rankings with last year's record noted.
Buchanan and Central start atop the Central Section rankings for the spring football season.
File photo by Bobby Medellin
Junior quarterback
Ian Kirby leads a host of returners back after falling 28-21 in the section championship to Central.
2. Central (Fresno), 15-0The Grizzlies lose a host of skills players from the 1-AA state title team.
3. Liberty (Bakersfield), 10-2Quarterback
Haden Mann (1,530 yards, 11 TDs) and running back
Prentice Boone (982 yards, 5 TDs) return for the Patriots.
4. San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno), 12-2The Panthers fell in the 1-A NorCal championships to Serra, but return 1,700-yard rusher senior
Jordan Hornbeak and junior quarterback
Mikey Bell.
5. Bullard (Fresno), 9-3Cal Poly commit
Bryce Weiner is back under center for the Knights after throwing for more than 1,000 yards and 11 TDs in five games.
6. Clovis 7-5Nate Johnson slides back to quarterback after the departure of Isaiah Robles.
Tristan Risley provides a rushing attack after running for 1,338 yards and 15 scores last year.
7. Bakersfield, 6-6Ricky Easterwood leads the Drillers into the spring season after throwing for 1,487 yards and 12 scores. Senior linebacker
Pedro Trujillo returns after logging a team-high 75 tackles.
8. Kingsburg, 10-1The Vikings prepare for a four-game schedule with Sanger, Dinuba, Mission Oak and Selma after falling as a No. 1 seed in last year's D-III quarterfinals.
9. Washington Union (Fresno), 11-2Junior
Lawrence Stell is back under center after throwing for 1,228 and 16 TDs for the Panthers. Defensively, leading tackler
Keanu Kuma is back after 116 tackles last season.
10. Selma, 11-3The Bears advanced to the 4-AA NorCal championship game last season. They takes on Madera, Bullard, Kerman, Dinuba and Kingsburg this spring.
11. Tulare Union (Tulare), 8-3After throwing for 1,800-plus yards and 18 scores,
Jorge Gonzalez returns for The Tribe.
12. Clovis West (Fresno), 4-8The Golden Eagles won a playoff game last year. They have Clovis, Clovis East and Central on the schedule.
13. Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield), 12-3The Eagles lost the 3-A title game to Rancho Cotate. Second-leading rusher
Jess Wattenbarger is back after a 701-yard, 12-TD year.
14. Stockdale (Bakersfield), 6-6Quarterback
Jack Kaiser is back after throwing for more than 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns and is joined by junior running back
Jaykob Jones, who gained 803 yards and scored six times.
15. Porterville, 8-5Hector Nava Jr. lit it up last year for the Panthers, throwing for more than 3,600 yards and 31 touchdowns. He added 773 yards rushing and 12 scores.
16. Tulare Western (Tulare), 11-3Mission Oak, Dinuba, Wasco, Lemmore and Tulare Union are on the schedule after a falling 35-16 in the D-II section title game.
17. Edison (Fresno), 2-8Bullard, San Joaquin Memorial, Sanger and Madera are on the docket for the Tigers.
18. Garces Memorial (Bakersfield), 5-7Leading rusher
Jalen Smith returns for the Rams after running for 621 yards and nine scores.
19. Centennial (Bakersfield), 4-6The Golden Hawks have a three-game season planned thus far with Ridgeview, Liberty and Frontier.
20. Hanford, 11-1Bullpups' senior
Luttrell Young is back after rushing for 1,072 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2019.
21. Clovis North (Fresno), 6-5The Broncos fell to rival Clovis West in the postseason last year.
22. Ridgeview (Bakersfield), 8-4Jaron Amos ran for more than 1,100 yards and 10 scores last season.
23. St. Joseph (Santa Maria), 9-4A five-game slate this year includes Righetti, Templeton, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles.
24. Sanger, 7-4The Apaches fell in the opening round of the D-II playoffs in 2019.
25. Redwood (Visalia), 10-2Rangers' second-leading runner
Caden Shaferis back after rushing for 795 yards and eighth scores.
