The 2024 Tulare County football season is just around the corner as teams kick off the season on Aug. 23 across the Central San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast.
Here are some of the top Tulare County football games to watch this season:
Aug. 23: St. Joseph-Santa Maria at Tulare Union, 7:30 p.m., Bob Mathias Stadium
Tulare Union highlights the 2024 Tulare County football season with a marquee matchup against Central Section private school powerhouse St. Joseph.
The Tribe reached the Central Section Division II semifinals last season and return an explosive corps on offense led by junior quarterback Jordan Crisp, junior receivers Brayden Stevenson and Franklin Lockard and sophomore wideout Demaje Riley.
In Tulare Union's spread offense, Crisp threw for more than 4,000 yards with 48 touchdowns during his sophomore year. Stevenson and Riley are returning 1,000-yard receivers.
St. Joseph is coming off an 8-3 season with an appearance in the 2023 Central Section Division I postseason.
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Aug. 23: Central Valley Christian at Clovis, Lamonica Stadium
The Don Arax era begins at CVC.
Arax was hired as CVC's new head coach in April. He coached at Bullard from 2000 to last season, compiling a 178-128-1 record. In 24 seasons with the Knights, he won seven league championships with two section titles (2009, 2021), including a Central Section Division I title in 2009.
The Cavaliers are the defending Central Section Division II champions and are coming off a CIF State Division 2-AA championship season.
Former CVC head coach Mason Hughes is now an assistant at College of the Sequoias.
Clovis has one of the most highly-sought quarterback recruits in the country in junior Deagan Rose. The four-star prospect has reportedly more than a dozen scholarship offers and recently verbally committed to Oregon State.
Aug. 23: Shafter at Exeter, 7:15 p.m., Monarch Stadium
Two of the Central Section's premier small-school programs collide for both team's season openers.
This season, Exeter is led by a new head coach, Ruben Ruiz. He takes over for recently retired Keirsten Lamb.
The Monarchs have enjoyed one of the program's best two-year stretches in school history. Exeter has won two straight league championships and has won a combined 18 games in the past two seasons.
Under head coach Jerald Pierucci, Shafter has arrived as one of the section's top programs, regardless of division. The Generals have posted back-to-back 11-win campaigns, which include a run to the CIF State Division 5-A championship bowl game in 2022.
Aug. 23: Liberty-Madera Ranchos at Strathmore, 7 p.m., Spartan Stadium
Week 1 features another showdown by a pair of the Central Section's top small-school powerhouse teams.
Strathmore captured the Central Section Division VI championship last season and also reached state glory. The Spartans became the first team in Tulare County history in 2023 to win two state trophies when they claimed the CIF State Division 7-A title.
Strathmore has excelled under longtime head coach Jeromy Blackwell's smash-mouth style offensive attack. Since 2016, the Spartans have posted six double-digit winning campaigns in seven playing seasons.
The Spartans are averaging 12.1 wins per season during that stretch.
Under head coach Mike Nolte, Liberty won nine games in 2023 and advanced to the Central Section Division V semifinals.
Sept. 7: American River at College of the Sequoias, 11 a.m., Sequoias Stadium
Matt Mendonca makes his debut as the new COS head coach.
Mendonca was named the new Giants head coach on July 9, a day after former coach Travis Burkett stepped down from the position after his wife landed a job on the East Coast.
Mendonca, a Tulare native and former COS football player, was elevated to head coach after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator for the past two seasons.
From 2015-19, Mendonca was the head coach at Lindsay High School. He directed the Cardinals to a 9-4 season with an appearance in the Central Section Division VI semifinals in his final season.
Sept. 20: Mission Oak at El Diamante, 7:30 p.m., Visalia Community Stadium
El Diamante and Mission Oak meet on the gridiron for the first time in both program's history.
El Diamante opened in 2002 and Mission Oak was founded in 2008.
The Hawks are coming off the best season in school history after winning the 2023 Central Section Division III championship and the 2023 CIF State SoCal Regional 4-A title.
Mission Oak also became the first team from Tulare to play for a state championship last season. The Hawks finished as the runner-up for the CIF State Division 4-A crown during its 10-win season in 2023.
El Diamante will play all three Tulare schools this year. The Miners have won only eight games since 2017 — former head coach Mark Rogers' final year at El Diamante.
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Oct. 11: Tulare Union at Hanford, 7:30 p.m., Neighbor Bowl
In what is likely the game of the year between Tulare and Kings counties teams, this October showdown will likely determine the West Yosemite League champion.
Hanford is the defending WYL champion after running through conference play with a 5-0 record in 2023.
The Bullpups field one of the section's most talented teams this season under head coach Cannon Sanchez. Senior running back Kourdey Glass is one of the top players at his position in the state with 58 career touchdowns. Glass is verbally committed to Oregon State.
Hanford averaged nearly 44 points last season.
Last year's Hanford-Tulare Union game featured 91 points with the Bullpupts winning 57-34.
Expect another shootout.
The Tribe returns its top quarterback and three receivers from last season's eight-win team that averaged 41 points per outing.
Nov. 1: Redwood at Mt. Whitney (Cowhide), 6:30 p.m., Mineral King Bowl
No school has won back-to-back Cowhides since the 2018 season.
Since that year, the Cowhide has exchanged hands every season with Mt. Whitney winning last year's rivalry game, 20-14 , in thrilling overtime fashion.
The reigning East Yosemite League champion Pioneers have one of the state's premier pass-catchers in junior wideout Israel Briggs.
Scouts have taken notice of Briggs' talents, too. The 6-foot-6 Briggs, who projects as a tight end at the next level by some recruiting websites, has reportedly been offered by 10 NCAA Division I programs, including Power 5 schools like Auburn, Cal, Florida, Florida State and Texas A&M.
Mt. Whitney went 8-4 last season and also claimed the Sid Hosking Trophy, awarded to the city of Visalia's top public high school football team.
Redwood leads the all-time Cowhide series to 38-29-1.
Nov. 1: Tulare Western at Tulare Union (Bell Game), 6:30 p.m., Bob Mathias Stadium
Tulare Union has won four straight Bell Games by an average margin of 42-20.
The Tribe lead the all-time rivalry series versus Tulare Western 43-16.
Tulare Western’s last victory over Tulare Union came in 2019 when the Mustangs pulled out a 24-14 win.
Tulare Union head coach Darren Bennett is the Central Section's active winningest head coach with 239 victories.
The Mustangs last qualified for the playoffs in 2021.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: 2024 Tulare County Football: Cowhide, Bell Game highlight Top 9 games to watch this season
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