Sports

FRESNO - Scoring its most points since 1991 using five interceptions, two special teams returns for touchdowns and one pick-six, the Fresno State football team rolled to a 79-13 season-opening route of the Idaho Vandals on Saturday night at Bulldog Stadium. Fresno State (1-0) scored its most points in 27 years using a balanced offensive approach passing for 247 yards while rushing for 239 and seven scores on the ground.

Senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion had an efficient passing night going 19-for-26 for 207 yards. The 'Dogs used a balanced attack on the ground as five running backs each went for better than 35 yards with Romello Harris leading the way with 47 followed by Saevion Johnson (45), Dejonte O'Neal (41), Josh Hokit (40) and Jordan Mims (36). Mims led the group with three touchdowns.

FRESNO -  A downtown charter school playground received new life over the weekend, as several members of Fire Squad Fresno laid the final 8,000 square feet of sod on the playground for students to enjoy. For more than half the year, Kepler Neighborhood School students were left to play on a large patch of dirt across the street from their school or walk the two blocks to the Cultural Arts District Park to spend some time on the grass. 

It wasn't by design. The school's sprinkler system broke about nine months ago, causing the grass to die for the TK-8 school that serves students in the city's urban core. 

LAS VEGAS – Boise State was chosen to finish atop the Mountain Division, while two-time Mountain West champion Fresno State was predicted to win the West Division title, as announced today by the Mountain West at its annual Media Summit, being held at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

This marks the sixth season of divisional play for the Conference, which moved to the two, six-team divisional format in 2013 following the additions of San José State and Utah State. The Mountain Division is comprised of Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming, while Fresno State, Hawai‘i, Nevada, San Diego State, San José State and UNLV make up the West Division. The two divisional winners will meet in the MW Championship Game on Dec. 1, 2018 at the home stadium of the divisional champion with the highest winning percentage in Conference games only.

FRESNO -  Fresno Grizzlies playoff tickets are officially on sale for the 2018 Pacific Coast League Postseason, by visiting FresnoGrizzlies.com or the Chukchansi Park ticket office, during games or normal business hours.  The “Hunt for the Playoffs” is presented by Helena Agri-Enterprises.  As of August 9, Fresno leads their Pacific Northern Division competition by seven games (accounting for a head-to-head tiebreaker with Reno), with 25 regular season contests remaining.  With a 66-49 record, the Grizzlies’ “magic number” to clinch the division is 19 (any combination of Reno losses and Fresno wins).

Should Fresno complete their run as division champion as expected, PCL playoff procedure will see them host games three, four (if necessary) and five (if necessary) of the Pacific Conference Championship Series, on September 7-9 (Friday through Sunday).  Should the Grizzlies advance to the PCL Championship Series, games one and two of the best-of-five series would be hosted at Fresno’s Chukchansi Park, on September 11-12 (Tuesday and Wednesday).  Individual-game tickets are now available for all five potential home playoff dates, at regular season prices (beginning as low as $10).  Post-game fireworks will follow Game 3 of the Pacific Conference Championship series, on Friday, September 7.