TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

A new league alignment for Kern County's high school sports teams is one step closer to reality after Wednesday's Central Section Board of Managers meeting in Porterville.

The Board of Managers heard the final proposal, which moves Garces into the Southwest Yosemite League and takes Independence out, and moved it along for a final vote in May with little discussion, section commissioner Jim Crichlow said.

"I expect it will pass easily," he said.

Independence would then join a yet-to-be-named league with East, Golden Valley, Ridgeview, Tehachapi and West. A third league would contain Foothill, Highland, Mira Monte, North and South.

The changes would take effect for the 2014-15 school year.

Also discussed at the meeting and moved on for final vote in May was a proposal to move all section volleyball championships to one location in time for next fall. The championship locale would rotate between north area (Fresno and Madera Counties) to central area (Tulare and Kings Counties) to south area (Kern County) every three years.

Crichlow said football could be headed toward one-site finals, too. A Fresno group led by businessman Bob Kayajanian is drafting a proposal that all football section championships be held at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno. Crichlow advised Kayajanian to iron out a few more details in the proposal and present it at the May meeting. The final vote could then take place next fall.

Locals named all-state

Liberty center and long snapper Cole Mazza was named to Cal Hi Sports' Football All-State third team, the only local to be honored on the team.

Mazza has verbally committed to play long snapper for two-time national champion Alabama.

The only Central Section player named to the first team was Clovis North quarterback Christian Rossi, who led the Broncos to the Division I section title, but several Kern County players were named to the website's various other all-state teams.

Garces offensive lineman Keoni Taylor and Ridgeview quarterback Kamari Cotton-Moya were named to the first-team All-State Medium Schools, and Wasco's Isaiah Sharp was first-team All-State Small Schools.

Two other Tigers, offensive lineman Joe Dominguez and linebacker Kris Aguilar, were named to the Small Schools second team, as were Bakersfield Christian linebacker Grant Bouma and Boron quarterback Austyn Fink.

Sharp and Bakersfield Christian running back Matt Smith were named to the All-State Sophomores second team.

Rehkopf racks 'em up

Bakersfield Christian sophomore Hannah Rehkopf ramped up her incredible girls soccer scoring binge this week, scoring 11 goals in two games against Kennedy and Delano.

Rehkopf had six of the Eagles' goals in a 7-0 victory over the Thunderbirds on Monday, and she added five more Wednesday in a 9-0 victory against Arvin.

She now has 45 goals in 19 games for the season. According to MaxPreps' database, that total ranks first in California and sixth in the nation among states that play soccer in the winter.

Stuebbe at Shafter

Shafter graduate and former Bakersfield College athletic director Jan Stuebbe will be at Friday's basketball game when Shafter hosts Bakersfield Christian to sign a book he recently wrote.

Garces alumni game

Garces softball is hosting an alumni game at 10 a.m. on Feb. 16 at the school's softball field.

All former Rams players are encouraged to participate. If interested, contact coach Mike D'Amato at (661) 319-6877.