High school football: Who is in The Fresno Bee preseason rankings? Plus Week 1 schedule

High school football season is back.

Week 1 games will kick off the season on Thursday, following a plethora of games on Friday.

One of those games include Central Section Division I champions Clovis North visiting San Joaquin Memorial. Other big games this week include Central and Garza at Koligian Stadium.

That’ll be the first matchup between the Central Unified schools.

Clovis will face Central Valley Christian at Lamonica Stadium on Friday.

The Bee has put together the preseason rankings.

1. Clovis North

The defending D-I section champions and they will have RBs McKay Madsen and Jackson Cinfel back in the fold.

2. Clovis East

The Timberwolves have QB Tyus Miller and Fresno State commit WR Harold Duvall back.

3. Liberty-Bakersfield

New coach in Richie Bolin who takes over for Bryan Nixon who retired.

4. Clovis

QB Deagan Rose leads the Cougars offense which should put up a lot of points.

5. Frontier

Coach Chris Bandy leads the Titans.

6. Central

Who will be the Grizzlies quarterback after David Marquez graduated?

7. Hanford

QB Daniel Gomez and RB Kordey Glass figure to keep defenses at bay.

8. Sanger

Apaches should be good once again under coach Matt Logue. Back is WR/CB Bryson Baker.

9. Central Valley Christian

New look Cavaliers after then coach Mason Hughes stepped down and is now a COS assistant. Taking over is former Bullard coach Don Arax.

10. Clovis West

The Golden Eagles lost a lot of key players, but figure to be a force during the season.

11. Lemoore

What’s next for the Tigers after Rich Tuman left?

12. Tulare Union

The Tribe are always a team to watch under coach Darren Bennett.

13. Shafter

The Generals were a high-powered offense last season. Figures to be the same this season.

14. Kingsburg

What’s the encore for the Vikings this season? Season fell short but coach David Wilson is preparing his team.

15. St. Joseph

The Knights open the season at Tulare Union.

16. Garces

It wasn’t a decent 2023 for the Rams. Improved season incoming?

17. Bakersfield Christian

The Eagles finished 6-5 under coach Darren Carr. What will this season be?

18. Tehachapi

A lot of experience for the Warriors this season.

19. Bakersfield

The Drillers were 6-5 last season under Rashaan Shehee.

20. Sunnyside

The Wildcats will be good again under QB Tanner Wilson. WR CJ Jones is back, too.

21. Mission Oak

Marty Martin’s Hawks will remain competitive this season.

22. Arroyo Grande

Plenty of depth to go around for the Eagles

23. Kennedy

What’s the encore for the Thunderbirds? They went 9-3 last season

24. Centennial

The Golden Hawks will be in the thick of things.

25. Buchanan

The unknown for the Bears under Ross Wood, but they have three-star OT Brayden Walton.

Week 1 schedule

Aug. 22

Nonleague

St. Pius X-St. Matthias-Downey at Buchanan, 7 p.m.

Fowler at Hanford West, 7:30 p.m. (Neighbor Bowl)

Reedley vs. Fresno, 7:30 p.m. (McLane Stadium)

Aug. 23

Nonleague

Garza vs. Central, 7 p.m. (Koligian Stadium), 7 p.m.

Clovis East at West-Salt Lake City, 7 p.m.

Edison-Huntington Beach vs. Clovis West, 7 p.m. (Veterans Memorial Stadium)

Bullard at Golden Valley-Merced, 7 p.m.

Hoover vs. Templeton, 7 p.m. (McLane Stadium)

Mendota at Golden Valley-Bakersfield, 7 p.m.

Mt. Whitney at San Luis Obispo, 7 p.m.

Liberty-Madera Ranchos at Strathmore, 7 p.m.

Golden West at Arroyo Grande, 7 p.m.

Chowchilla at Firebaugh, 7 p.m.

Independence at Pioneer Valley, 7 p.m.

Morro Bay at Foothill, 7 p.m.

Nipomo at Lompoc, 7 p.m.

Santa Maria at Righetti, 7 p.m.

California City at Viewpoint, 7 p.m.

Boron at Bishop Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Desert at Alemany, 7 p.m.

Dos Pueblos at Santa Ynez, 7 p.m.

Fernley at Bishop, 7 p.m.

Highland-Palmadale at Liberty-Bakersfield, 7 p.m.

Littlerock at Rosamond, 7 p.m.

Roosevelt at Corcoran, 7:15 p.m.

Shafter at Exeter, 7:15 p.m.

Madera South at Orosi, 7:15 p.m.

Woodlake vs. Sierra Pacific, 7:15 p.m. (Neighbor Bowl)

Mariposa County at Yosemite, 7:15 p.m.

Clovis North at San Joaquin Memorial, 7:30 p.m

Central Valley Christian at Clovis, 7:30 p.m.

Bakersfield vs. Edison, 7:30 p.m. (Site TBD)

Arvin at Lindsay, 7:30 p.m.

Cabrillo at Selma, 7:30 p.m.

Caruthers at Coalinga, 7:30 p.m.

Chavez at Del Oro, 7:30 p.m.

Delano at Mira Monte, 7:30 p.m.

East Bakersfield at Highland, 7:30 p.m.

El Diamante vs. Tulare Western, 7:30 p.m. (Golden West)

Farmersville at McFarland, 7:30 p.m.

Hanford at Kennedy, 7:30 p.m.

Immanuel at Taft, 7:30 p.m.

Monache at Lemoore, 7:30 p.m.

McLane at Avenal, 7:30 p.m.

Paso Robles at Kingsburg, 7:30 p.m.

Porterville vs. Wasco, 7:30 p.m. (Granite Hills Stadium)

Redwood vs. Centennial, 7:30 p.m. (Mineral King Bowl)

Riverdale at Tranquillity, 7:30 p.m.

Sanger at Dinuba, 7:30 p.m.

Sanger West vs. Mission Oak, 7:30 p.m. (Tom Flores Stadium)

South at Ridgeview, 7:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Tulare Union, 7:30 p.m.

Stockdale at North, 7:30 p.m.

Sunnyside at Madera, 7:30 p.m.

Torres at Kerman, 7:30 p.m.

Faith Lutheran-Las Vegas at Bakersfield Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Los Banos at Dos Palos, 7:30 p.m.

Mission Prep at Santa Fe Christian, 3:30 p.m.

Paraclete at Garces, 7:30 p.m.

Tehachapi at Burroughs, 7:30 p.m.

8-man

Fresno Christian at Mammoth, 7 p.m.

Laton at Immanuel Christian, 7 p.m.

Minarets at Sierra , 7:30 p.m.

Alpaugh at Turlock Christian, 5 p.m.

Beatty at Trona, 6 p.m.

Aug. 24

Frontier at Oak Ridge, 7:30 p.m.

8-man

Lone Pine at Mineral County, 7 p.m.