Three Bakersfield football teams are one win away from a CIF Central Section championship game. The Drillers head to Fresno to face the top seed in Division I-AA, while Garces Memorial and Bakersfield Christian get Division I-A semifinals at home. All three games kick off Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.
Bakersfield at Central East | Division I-AA
No. 4 Bakersfield rolled past No. 5 Clovis 35–7 in the quarterfinals. Next up is unbeaten No. 1 Central East (9–0). The Drillers (9–2) have the toughest road of the three local teams, and controlling the pace will be especially important against a Bengals offense averaging nearly 340 passing yards per game.
Tulare Union at Garces Memorial | Division I-A
No. 1 Garces is the clear favorite after a 41–0 quarterfinal win over Clovis North. No. 5 Tulare Union already knocked off Liberty 27–21, though, and gets another shot at a Bakersfield team on the road. If the Rams bring the same defensive pressure they showed last week, they’re in a strong position to reach the final.
Sanger at Bakersfield Christian | Division I-A
No. 2 Bakersfield Christian beat Clovis East 45–11 behind four RJ Shehee touchdowns. He had 135 receiving yards and three scores through the air, plus a rushing touchdown. No. 6 Sanger comes in after knocking off Hanford. The Apaches lean on the run, so getting an early lead could help BCHS keep Sanger from dictating the pace.
If Garces and BCHS both win, they’ll meet for the Division I-A title.
