Final preparations from Valley high school football teams before title games

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Turkey Bowls were played across the country on Thanksgiving.

At the prep level, a select few get the honor of a morning practice.

Through the morning fog, the Madera Coyotes went through a final practice before playing in the DIII championship.

It'll be their first final since 2014. Back then, head coach Kenny Paolinelli was on staff as the quarterbacks coach.

"It means a lot," he said. "This is something I always dreamed of as a high school player. We've always talked about trying to win a Valley title here."

The Coyotes have made it to six section finals but in those previous championship appearances, have a record of 0-5.

"Honestly, it's surreal, I don't even know," says quarterback Joel Arellano. "I've never been in this position before."

Arellano was just named Player of the Week by Cal-Hi Sports.

In Friday's overtime win over Kennedy of Delano, Joel accounted for eight touchdowns and 606 total yards of offense, the second-most all-time in a game in Central section history.

"Just making plays and not being nervous or scared, and my ability to scramble and extend plays," he said.

Seventeen miles south, the Kerman Lions will look to extend their championship drought.

Last year, Damon Jenkins led Kerman to the first title game in school history. Despite falling short to Mission Oak, his Lions are back in the final after knocking off the #1 seed Porterville.

"It's just those little things that I'm harping on the kids that they didn't understand when I first got here that they understand now," he said.

Little things like the team responding in unison.

Jenkins, a Bay Area native, is a graduate of De La Salle. He won three national championships as a player before becoming a standout corner at Fresno State.

"They understand what I'm about," he said. "They understand that when I talk to them, it's coming from a place of love."

Both programs would love to win that first title. For Madera, it'll be the first time playing host to a Section final.

Something has to give Friday -- 8-4 Madera led by their explosive offense, and 11-2 Kerman led by its shutdown defense.

For sports updates, follow Stephen Hicks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.