Tehachapi at Highland Bakersfield

August 24, 2023

Shifty Warrior running back Karson Tiewater #2 scrambles for big yardage behind offensive line members
MJ Nicholson #55, Kenny Pitt #52, and Hayden Michael. The Warriors will now travel to Taft Union (1-1)
on Friday night. Game time is 7:30 pm.   (Photo by Jenifer Michael.)

Defense Stifles Highland in Road Victory

Posted by The Tehachapi News Sports Staff on August 27, 2023.

A relentless effort by the Warrior defense won the night in an impressive 29-7 victory over Bakersfield-Highland.

Holding the Scots to only 124 total yards while forcing six punts, three turnovers and a recorded safety ended up
setting the tone in a road win.

Leo Gonzalez had a standout game for Tehachapi (2-0) with 11 tackles, seven hurries, a fumble recovery and a
safety tackle in the endzone, giving him player of the week honors for the team.
Also performing well was Adrian Pina, who also recorded 11 tackles, four hurries and a pass defended,
while also assisting Gonzalez on the safety tackle.

Other defensive standouts against Highland (1-1) included Andrew Aguirre (10 tackles, three hurries),
Jacob Betancourt (nine tackles, two passes defended), Adrian Navarro (eight tackles, five hurries),
Mike Jones (eight tackles), Tanner Gary (six tackles, five hurries), Kaleb Songer (four tackles, two passes
defended, interception), Wade Brooks (four tackles) and Levi Hart (nine hurries, two passes defended, four tackles).

Special teams for the Warriors shined as well, highlighted by Pina recording an 81-yard fumble return for
a touchdown set up off a field goal block from Karson Tiewater. Aguirre also had a pair of punts
that went over 50 yards, with a 58-yard punt dropping at the Highland one-yard line to
set up the eventual safety on the Scots’ ensuing possession. Carter Kolesar also had
two kickoffs that went for touchbacks.

On offense, Jones led the team with 122 yards rushing and a touchdown run, following-up last week’s
three-touchdown performance where he was named player of the week in that game.

AJ Anderson also sparked the team with 70 yards rushing and 57 yards receiving that included a 48-yard touchdown
reception from quarterback Jacob Root. Tiewater added 61 yards rushing and a touchdown.
On the offensive line, Kenny Pitt, Travis Mason and MJ Nicholson all recorded three pancake blocks apiece.

The Warriors will look to continue the positive momentum this week with another road contest against Taft (1-1),
who has defeated Kern Valley 42-21 and lost to Tulare-Mission Oak 49-6.

The game against the Wildcats will be at Taft this Friday night with a scheduled kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.

Underclassmen fall to Scots The junior varsity lost their season debut last Thursday afternoon to Highland, 20-7.

Cayden King led the offense with 60 yards rushing and a 25-yard touchdown run in the first half, while Thaddeus Dyer
also had a 12-yard reception from quarterback Colton Michael.

On defense, JR Alaniz led the team with 11 tackles and two sacks, followed by Dyer and King with nine tackles each,
Tylere Lombardi with seven tackles and Jacob Meza and Ruben Sedano with six tackles each.
Dylan Collins and Aiden Madueno also contributed with five tackles apiece and Kaidon Hagerty had an
interception in the endzone for a touchback.

The frosh-soph lost a Wednesday match-up with Highland, 46-0.

Both teams will look to bounce back this week. The frosh-soph will be at Bakersfield Christian on Thursday
at 6 p.m. and the junior varsity will be at Taft on Friday at 5 p.m.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Tehachapi	8	7	7	7	29
Highland	0	0	0	7	07

Tehachapi vs Highland Statistics

	THS	HHS
First Downs	14
Rushes-Yards	48-273	27-117
Passing Yards	57	28
Comp-Att-Int	3-10-1	4-24-1
Total Yards	330	145
Punts	4-41.5	6-36.8
Penalties

Individual Statistics:

RUSHING — Tehachapi: AJ Anderson 14-70, Tiewater 15-61, Jones 14-122, Pina 2-8, Betancourt 1-5, Brooks 1-6.
Highland: Calloway 6-34, Salcido 3-13, Ott 5-15, Romero 8-22, Palomino 4-32, Safa 1-1.

PASSING — Tehachapi: Root 3-9-57-1, Aguirre 0-1-0-0. Highland: Ott 4-24-28-1

RECEIVING — Tehachapi: AJ Anderson 3-57. Highland: Salcido 2-3, Safa 1-14, Duenas 1-11.

Varsity Records: Tehachapi 2-0 Highland 1-1

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