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SoCal High School & Prep Report

Bakersfield Report: Central Section
Playoff Pairings Announced--(February 18, 1998)

The playoffs have not yet started in the Bakersfield area Central Section, and the regular season games won't end until this Saturday, but for now, the Central Section has announced the post-season matchups.

The Garces boys team was awarded No. 1 seed in the high school basketball playoff pairings, announced Monday by Central Section officials. The Bakersfield boys were awarded the No. 2 seed in Division I, the highest enrollment category, and will begin play on Feb. 25 against the winner of an out-bracket game between Madera and Delano on Monday. Boys playoffs begin Feb. 25, but there are boys and girls "out-bracket" games scheduled for Feb. 23.

Some of the five divisions with only eight-team brackets do not begin play until as late as Feb. 27. All playoff games are scheduled for 7 p.m. but scheduling changes may occur, with the section's approval.

The Stockdale boys, who are tied atop the Southwest Yosemite League standings with West with two games to play, were placed in an out-bracket game against Redwood. The winner gets to play at top-seeded Clovis West. The Stockdale boys play West on Wednesday, with the winner clinching a share of the league title. But neither team fared well during Monday's seeding meeting. West (16-8), seeded eighth in Division I, has a better record than No. 4 Clovis (14-8) and No. 6 Hoover (12-9). The Stockdale boys were probably held back by their 10-13 record, but should the Mustangs win the SWYL, they would likely be the first league champion forced to play an out-bracket game.

In other local Division I boys matchups, No. 14 South is at No. 3 Hanford and No. 11 Centennial is at No. 6 Hoover.

In Division II, defending champion Highland drew the No. 2 seed in the eight-team bracket and will play on Feb. 27 against the winner of an out-bracket game between Foothill and Reedley. That game will be played Feb. 25 at Reedley. Also Feb. 25, North is at Arvin in an out-bracket game, with the winner advancing to a Feb. 27 game at top-seeded Edison.

In Division III, Washington Union was awarded the top seed and a bye into the semifinals. Tehachapi was seeded No. 3 and will play host to Sierra in a quarterfinal game Feb. 27. No. 7 Shafter is at No. 2 Yosemite.

In Division IV, Garces is the top seed and has a first-round bye. The Rams will play the winner of the Feb. 25 first-round game between No. 8 McFarland and No. 9 Tranquility.

In Division V, eight of the 12 teams are scheduled to play out-bracket games Monday. Valley is home against Alpaugh in one of those games, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals against No. 4 Fresno Christian.