** Most striking of Week 9 results is the obvious -- D-II strength similar to D-I. Friday, we had D-II Frontier lose 17-15 to D-I Stockdale, ranked No. 3 in the Central Section; and D-II Edison lose 17-14 in double OT to D-I Bullard, which is No. 2. And, oh, not to forget, four weeks ago, D-II Memorial's 28-21 loss to D-I and No. 1 Buchanan in a game that closed with Memorial on the Bears' 1-yard line.
** Bullard has played down the recent loss of WR Jajuan Hammond (shoulder) while emphasizing its depth at the position. But it was Hammond who caught TD passes of 79 and 45 yards last year in the Knights' 17-14 win over Edison. And it was Hammond who was clearly missed Friday in the identical score as Bullard had no one at wide out who could beat the Tigers' secondary.
** D-II is deep and talented, but no team will score well in the postseason on Edison, whose precocious nose tackle, Rykeem Yates, dominated Bullard and whose secondary, featuring safety Tevin McDonald, had its way, also -- and he was but maybe 90% with an ankle injury.
** Clovis East, a 3-6 team that has lost to No. 1 Buchanan (20-17), No. 9 Clovis West (21-14) and No. 4 Central (20-7) in a game it more than doubled the Grizzlies in total yards, is an outfit no one in Kern County (see Stockdale, Bakersfield, Liberty) wants to host in the D-I first round.
** Defending D-V champion Bakersfield Christian is 3-6 after going 23-3 the past 2 seasons.
** Perhaps never in the history of NYL football has such a good team (Memorial) owned such bad. In league, the Panthers have beaten Fresno (48-6), Madera South (28-0), Roosevelt (42-14) and McLane (69-6).
** TRAC member Madera will be dumped into the CMAC next year. Here says the Coyotes, who have lost to Buchanan (54-21), Clovis (49-12), Central (77-14) and Clovis West (48-0) in the TRAC this season, should be lowered one more step, and into the NYL, with sister Madera South.
No Clovis school wants to see Liberty, Stockdale or Bakersfield. They are all explosive and gimicky pass happy offenses (like Buchannon) don't always translate well into the playoffs. Bullard will be lucky to make it to the semis.