Hello All

I Hope Back to School has not been too exhausting for everyone. 

Here’s my Week 1/Season Preview from WSL Athletics 

Here’s to a Safe, Fun, and Exciting Fall Football Season 

And as Always. GO Fresno State Bulldogs! Beat Cal Poly! 

Kevin Arias-Romero, 

Editor-in-Chief, WSL Athletics

WSL Contributor, The Pagmeter  

WSL Athletics Football Preview 2022

Welcome back football fans! Another fall is among us but the summer heat still lingers on as we kickoff another season of HS Football which will take place August 18^th-19^th and for the 6 teams that make up the WSL it also means that the race for the WSL Title also will kick off as well, First off is the Defending WSL Champions The Dos Palos Broncos. 

Dos Palos Broncos (Last Season, 10-1, 5-0 WSL, WSL Champs, Lost 1^st Rd. CIF Central Section Division 2 Playoffs) 

2022 Schedule 

September 9^th @ Pioneer Valley Panthers, Santa Maria

September 16^th Bye Week 

September 23rd vs. Chowchilla Tribe (Preseason Finale) 

September 30^th @ Avenal Buccaneers (WSL Kickoff) 

October 7^th vs. Mendota Aztecs (Cross-County Rivalry, 559 vs. 209 and Homecoming, WSL Home Opener) 

October 14^th vs. Tranquillity Tigers (Senior Night)

October 21^st @ Firebaugh Eagles 

October 28^th @ Coalinga Horned Toads (Season Finale) 

Strength of Schedule: B+ 

Projected Finish in WSL: 3^rd

Firebaugh Eagles (Last Season, 9-3, 3-1 WSL, WSL Runner-Ups, Lost in Quarterfinals CIF Central Section Division 3 Playoffs) 

August 19^th vs. Reedley Pirates 

August 26^th @ Fowler Redcats (Seeking Lucky 7 Straight Wins in Series)

September 2^nd @ Caruthers Blue Raiders (Looking for back-to-back wins in series, last happened in 2015 & 2016) 

September 9^th vs. Templeton Eagles (First time matchup all time according to Maxpreps) 

September 16^th vs. Immanuel Eagles (first game since 2013 in which Firebaugh won 54-40) 

September 23^rd Bye Week 

September 30th @ Coalinga Horned Toads (WSL Kickoff) 

October 7^th @ Tranquillity Tigers 

October 14^th vs. Avenal Buccaneers (WSL Home Opener/Homecoming) 

October 21^st vs. Dos Palos Broncos (Senior Night) 

October 28^th @ Mendota Aztecs (Battle of 33/Spirit Stick/Season Finale) 

Strength of Schedule: A

Projected Finish in WSL: 4^th

Mendota Aztecs (Last Season, 8-4, 2-2 3^rd in WSL, Lost in CIF Central Section Division 4 Championship Game, first postseason appearance since 2016-2017)

August 19^th vs. Liberty-Madera Ranchos (Last matchup was 2019, Last win was in 2016, seeking to snap 3-game losing streak) 

August 26^th @ McLane Highlanders, Fresno (Last matchup was in 2019, seeking to snap 2-game losing streak) 

September 2^nd vs. Strathmore Spartans (Last matchup was in 2009 playoffs losing 53-20) 

September 9^th vs. Roosevelt Roughriders (last matchup was 2017, seeking to extend win streak in series to 5 straight) 

September 16^th Bye Week 

September 23^rd vs. Immanuel Eagles (Seeking back to back wins which has never happened in current series according to Maxpreps) 

September 30^th @ Tranquillity Tigers (WSL Kickoff/The Old School Rivalry aka: The League’s Most Hated Rivalry) 

October 7^th @ Dos Palos Broncos (Cross-County Rivalry, 559 vs. 209) 

October 14^th vs. Coalinga Horned Toads (Homecoming) 

October 21^st @ Avenal Buccaneers 

October 28^th vs. Firebaugh Eagles (Battle of 33/Spirit Stick/Senior Night) 

Strength of Schedule: A 

Projected finish in WSL: 2^nd

Coalinga Horned Toads (Last Season: 6-4, 1-3 4^th in WSL, Loss in Quarterfinals CIF Central Section Division 5 Playoffs) 

August 19^th vs. Caruthers Blue Raiders (Seeking 2^ndstraight win in series) 

August 26^th @ Templeton Eagles (Seeking 3^rd straight win in series) 

September 2^nd vs. Selma Bears (Last matchup was in 2017, last win was in 2011 with the score of 38-0) 

September 9^th @ Reedley Pirates (First time matchup according to Maxpreps) 

September 15^th @ Justin Garza Guardians, Fresno (1^styear for JGHS Football) 

September 23^rd Bye Week 

September 30^th vs. Firebaugh Eagles (WSL Kickoff/WSL Home Opener) 

October 7^th vs. Avenal Buccaneers (Homecoming)

October 14^th @ Mendota Aztecs 

October 21^st @ Tranquillity Tigers 

October 28^th vs. Dos Palos Broncos (Senior Night/Season Finale) 

Strength of Schedule: A+ 

Projected finish in WSL: 1^st

Avenal High School (Last Season: 1-4, 0-1 5^th in WSL, Note: remainder of season canceled due to COVID-19 Protocols) 

August 18^th @ McFarland Cougars (Seeking back to back wins) 

August 26^th vs. Orosi Cardinals (Looking to snap 3-game losing streak) 

September 2^nd @ Riverdale Cowboys (looking to snap 3-game losing streak, last win was in 2016) 

September 9^th vs. Farmersville Aztecs (Last win was in 2016 looking to avoid back to back losses) 

September 17^th @ Hanford West (First time matchup according to Maxpreps) 

September 23^rd Bye Week 

September 30^th vs. Dos Palos (WSL Kickoff/WSL Home Opener) 

October 7^th @ Coalinga Horned Toads 

October 14^th @ Firebaugh Eagles 

October 21^st vs. Mendota Aztecs (Homecoming) 

October 28^th vs. Tranquillity Tigers (Senior Night/Season Finale) 

Strength of Schedule: C

Projected Finish in WSL: 5^th

Tranquillity Tigers (Last Season: 0-8, 0-4 6^th in WSL) 

August 18^th vs. Riverdale Cowboys (seeking to snap 3-game losing streak, last win was in 2015) 

August 26^th @ McFarland Cougars (seeking to snap 4-game losing streak, last win was in 2015) 

September 2^nd @ Le Grand Bulldogs (looking for first win in series) 

September 9^th @ Sierra Chieftains (last played in 2019, looking for back to back wins) 

September 16^th Bye Week 

September 23^rd vs. Minarets Mustangs (seeking to snap 3-game losing streak, last played in 2019, last win was in 2016) 

September 30^th vs. Mendota Aztecs (WSL Kickoff/WSL Home Opener/The Old School Rivalry aka: The League’s Most Hated Rivalry) 

October 7^th vs. Firebaugh Eagles (Homecoming)

October 14^th @ Dos Palos Broncos 

October 21^st vs. Coalinga Horned Toads (Senior Night) 

October 28^th @ Avenal Buccaneers (Season Finale) 

Strength of Schedule: C- 

Projected finish in WSL: 6^th

Projected WSL Standings 

1^st Coalinga, 2^nd Mendota, 3^rd Dos Palos, 4^th Firebaugh, 5^th Avenal, 6^th Tranquillity 

WSL Strength of Schedule Rankings 

1^st Coalinga, 2^nd Firebaugh, 3^rd Mendota, 4^th Dos Palos, 5^th Avenal, 6^th Tranquillity 

So, I hope you enjoyed reading this and looking forward to seeing more and more insights as the season marches on and we hopefully seeing a better playoffs than last season and that CIF made the right adjustments to give all schools a fair shot in the postseason. Good Luck to all WSL Teams and as always GO Fresno State! Beat The Cal Poly Mustangs in PRIMETIME!

Quote of the Week: “Self-Praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” – Late NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach John Madden (1936-2021)

Stats and info: www.maxpreps.com

Quote: www.athlonsports.com/college-football/inspirational-football-quotes

Veteran Pag Meter writer- Kevin Arias-Romero

is a graduate of Mendota High Class of 2013 and is currently a student at West Hills Community College, NDC Firebaugh. He’s been a freelance writer since 2012 and started with WSL Athletics in the Spring of 2012 and has been covering WSL Athletics sports since then… His goal is to transfer to Fresno State and study in the Department of Media, Communications, and Journalism.