Sanger beats Clovis 2-0 for CIF Central Section Division I title

Sanger High defeated Clovis High 2-0 at Tom Flores Stadium to capture the CIF Central Section Division I title, with senior forward Elijah Pimental converting an early penalty and junior Gabriel Gutierrez delivering a late clincher on Feb. 26. The win is Sanger’s first Division I Central Section crown since 2021 and adds to a run that includes back-to-back Division II titles in 2020 and 2021.

The Apaches struck inside the opening 10 minutes after a handball in the Clovis penalty area produced a spot kick. Senior forward Elijah Pimental approached the penalty slowly, then fired a shot past the Clovis goalkeeper to put Sanger ahead 1-0 and give the Apaches early momentum in front of a packed crowd at Tom Flores Stadium.

Sanger’s sophomore goalkeeper Fabian Cuevas made a pivotal stop later in the second half when he denied a Clovis penalty with roughly seven minutes remaining, preserving the 1-0 lead and keeping the Bears off the scoreboard. Cuevas’ save set the stage for the late insurance goal that sealed the title for Sanger.

The second goal came late and was credited to junior forward Gabriel Gutierrez. One account described the score as coming on a free kick that Gutierrez corralled off the volley and buried into the corner of the net; another account said Gutierrez sent a one-timer into the net with two minutes left to clinch the victory. Both versions agree the finish was a decisive, late goal that put the match out of reach for Clovis.

Head coach Alex Gutierrez praised his players after the game, saying, “Amazing, amazing. I’m very proud of our boys and the hard work that they put in tonight, all season long, to be honest. We feel great.” On Gutierrez’s late strike, he added, “Great shot. Amazing shot.” He credited the team’s semifinal momentum against McLane, saying, “I think this group really believed. When we beat McLane in the semifinal, we knew that whoever we were going to play…we were going to play with everything that we had.” Gutierrez placed the result in program context: “I think we’ve built a program that’s competing every year,” and called Clovis “a very tough team, top to bottom.”

Sanger’s run through the Central Section bracket included a 1-0 semifinal victory over McLane on Feb. 20 and earlier wins over Sunnyside and others, as recorded on MaxPreps. MaxPreps listed Sanger at National #155, California #45, Central Section #4 and Fresno #3 in rankings updated Feb. 26, underscoring the program’s regional standing entering the final.

The title game day also produced an upset in the girls Division I final, where previously unbeaten Buchanan fell 2-1 to Garces. For Sanger, the 2-0 result at Tom Flores Stadium closes a season of tight wins and timely plays, a penalty by Pimental, a critical save by Cuevas, and Gutierrez’s late strike combining to deliver the Central Section Division I championship.