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CVC, Mission Oak and Strathmore to each host state regional bowl game

vongni yang, visalia times-delta
·4 min read

It was an outstanding 2023 season for Tulare County high school football.

Three Tulare County programs won a Central Section championship during the Thanksgiving break. There are seven Central Section titles, including one in the eight-man division.

Central Valley Christian (13-1) captured a Division II plaque, and Mission Oak (9-5) claimed its first section championship in school history in Division III.

Strathmore (10-4) put the exclamation point on Tulare County’s postseason dominance by winning it all in Division VI, capturing the program’s seventh section crown.

Now, all three schools will host a CIF State Regional Championship Bowl Game on Saturday at their respective home sites. Kickoff for all state playoff games are at 6 p.m.

Mission Oak quarterback Daniel Gonzalez directs traffic in a 2023 Central Section Division III high school football championship playoff game against Kerman on Friday, November 24, 2023 at Bob Mathias Stadium.
Mission Oak quarterback Daniel Gonzalez directs traffic in a 2023 Central Section Division III high school football championship playoff game against Kerman on Friday, November 24, 2023 at Bob Mathias Stadium.

CVC will play Simi Valley (9-5) for the state’s Division 2-A south regional championship at Cavalier Stadium.

In the state’s Division 4-A south regional title showdown, Mission Oak hosts Rio Hondo Prep-Arcadia (13-1) at Bob Mathias Stadium in Tulare.

And Strathmore, the only program in Tulare County history to win a state championship in football, welcomes Lincoln-San Francisco (9-3) for the state’s Division 7-A north regional title at Spartan Stadium.

“I’ve been saying it for a long time since I’ve been a head coach here, this is a very good county for football,” CVC head coach Mason Hughes said after the Cavaliers beat Lemoore to win the Division II section plaque. “I think you could include Kings [County] as well. Lemoore and Hanford are very good. Yeah, man, three is awesome.”

Central Valley Christian's Bryson Donelson scores on a wide open pass catch against Lemoore during their Central Section Division II high school football championship playoff game in Visalia, Calif., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023.
Central Valley Christian's Bryson Donelson scores on a wide open pass catch against Lemoore during their Central Section Division II high school football championship playoff game in Visalia, Calif., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023.

The last time a trio of Tulare County teams won a section title in the same campaign came in 2017.

That season, a Kazmeir Allen-led Tulare Union team topped the field in Division II. Golden West won the Division IV crown and Strathmore captured the Division VI title.

Golden West and Strathmore went on to play in state championship games that year with the Spartans winning the state’s Division 6-AA championship to become the first Tulare County team to bring home a state title.

Tickets for the state’s regional bowl games will go on sale to the public at noon on Wednesday at GoFan.co. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for high school students, seniors (65-plus), and children (5 and older).

Performances of the week

Every week, the Times-Delta/Advance-Register will recognize the top football performances of the week (Coaches, email your top impact players to vyang2@gannett.com).

Here are this week's top performers:

  • Nathen Abrahams, Mission Oak: Abrahams led the Hawks with a team-best nine tackles.

  • Cameron Azevedo, Mission Oak: Azevedo hauled in seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.

  • Aston Brinkman, CVC: Brinkman tallied 12 tackles.

  • Bryce Crook, CVC: Crook had three catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.

  • Drew DeGroff, CVC: DeGroff forced a fumble and also made an interception.

  • Bryson Donelson, CVC: Donelson scored three total touchdowns (rushing, two receiving) and ran for 167 yards. He also caught four passes for 74 yards.

  • Danny Gonzalez, Mission Oak: Gonzalez hit 20-of-24 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 38 yards and a touchdown.

  • Kenny Jackson, Mission Oak: Jackson caught three passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.

  • Brent Kroeze, CVC: Kroeze completed 11-of-20 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns.

More: 'Valley Champions': Mission Oak captures 1st Central Section championship in school history

More: CVC outlasts Lemoore by 1 point to win Central Section Division II championship

  • Jacob Poole, Strathmore: Poole ran for 67 yards and a touchdown and also scored on a kickoff return.

  • Ezra Schuyler, CVC: Schuyler made a team-high 13 tackles.

  • Achilles Sierra, Mission Oak: Sierra made eight catches for 98 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns. He also led the team with 59 yards rushing.

Tulare County Cream of the Crop Power Rankings

1. Central Valley Christian (13-1): The Cavaliers are the Central Section Division II champions.

Up next: Simi Valley (9-5)

2. Mission Oak (9-5): The Hawks won the program’s first Central Section championship — a Division III title.

Up next: Rio Hondo Prep-Arcadia (13-1)

3. Tulare Union (8-5): The Tribe concluded the 2023 season averaging 41 points per game.

Up next: Season completed

4. Strathmore (10-4): The Spartans won the Central Section Division VI plaque.

Up next: Lincoln-San Francisco (9-3)

5. Exeter (11-2): Quarterback Jacob Molina wrapped up his junior season accounting for 39 total touchdowns (28 passing, 11 rushing) and nearly 3,000 yards of total offense (2,297 passing, 677 rushing).

Up next: Season completed

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: CVC, Mission Oak and Strathmore to each host state regional bowl game