Posted August 14, 2018 by Trevor Horn, The Bakersfield Californian. Tehachapi Football Preview: Doug DeGeer
Enters Second Year At Helm Of Warriors
Top Returner
Chris Garcia, senior, QB - In an offense predicated on running the ball, it’s easy to question the importance of a quarterback.
But in this case it’s the exact opposite. Garcia has been a leader on the team and is the most integral piece to how good Tehachapi can be this fall.
Key Standouts
Hayden Palmer, senior, RB/LB - Top returning rusher for Tehachapi after finishing with 525 yards on 125 carries in 2017.
Tanner Love, senior, RB/DB - Came on late as a key rusher in 2017 and will be a two-way standout for the Warriors.
Peyton Stowers, senior, OLB - Key standout on defense as top returning tackler and has an eye for the ball with three interceptions.
Defining Feature
Give Doug DeGeer credit. Replacing a legend isn’t easy, especially in a football-crazed town like Tehachapi.
But despite a 1-5 start to his coaching career after Steve Denman — and his 301 career wins — stepped down after 35 years, DeGeer and his coaching staff
regrouped to share the South Yosemite League title and clinch a berth to the Central Section Division III semifinals.
That experience of getting 13 games together and putting together a significant six-game win streak — that included a 21-14 win over Ridgeview — gives
Tehachapi momentum heading into this fall.
“There were so many things that we were just trying to figure out and tried to stay on top of,” DeGeer said about the start of the 2017 season.
“I just tried to ask questions. But it was all such a blur. That’s gone.”
What’s ahead this fall is a new group of offensive and defensive leaders abound. The top two rushers and top eight tacklers a year ago are gone,
but there's enough back to give the coaches reason to be excited.
“We don’t have a lot of returning starters, but we have young guys who have confidence in themselves,” DeGeer said.
What's Changed?
For Doug DeGeer, getting his first year at Tehachapi out of the way and seeing his team progress in the process was a huge step forward.
Much of the rough going in the first half of the season was the result of a tough schedule for the Warriors.
The five regular season losses in 2017 came in the first six games to teams that finished the year 50-15 overall.
The schedule change might not get easier at the top end, particularly with a road game at Bakersfield High on Aug. 24, but it might help the confidence
of a young squad to get a few wins before league starts.
“I’d like to think our preseason is more bearable, but I don’t know,” DeGeer said. “One thing we have going is what we have returning.
We have a good base of chemistry and the will to win.”
Leading the way once again is third-year starting quarterback Chris Garcia, who suffered a concussion and missed the better part of the four-game losing streak last season.
“He has so much experience and is so big for us,” DeGeer said. “His confidence is huge and he is such a dual threat. He might be our most athletic guy.
He understands the offense and everything we try to do here.”
Head coach: Doug DeGeer
Second season at Tehachapi (7-6)
Last season: 7-6 overall: 4-1 SYL
Playoffs: Lost in Central Section D-III semifinals
History: League titles (30); Section titles (11)
Assistant coaches: Ralph Curiel, OL/DL; Jason Hail, defensive coordinator; Darrel Sipes, quarterbacks; Johnny Macon, wide receiver/defensive backs
Posted August 15, 2018 by Corey Costelloe, The Tehachapi News. A Look At Warriors Lineup As Season Starts Friday
There are two things that might be assumed about the 2018 Tehachapi Warriors football team, with neither being entirely true.
First, despite graduating a large contingent of their starters last season, the Warriors aren’t altogether “young.” The skill positions include third-year quarterback Chris Garcia and a few offensive weapons that have had plenty of time in Warrior green and white. Sure, there are young pieces that must contribute immediately to fill some holes from graduation last season, but much of the offensive production returns.
Second, despite not playing a pair of CIF state-contenders this season in Burroughs and Paraclete, the Warriors schedule isn’t “easier.” Tehachapi swapped out those games with the likes of Bakersfield High. Plus, add in the rivalry non-league game against an experienced Garces squad and the addition of Bakersfield Christian to the South Yosemite League, and “easy” hardly describes the 2018 slate.
So now you know what the Warriors aren’t, here’s what the 2018 Warriors are:
They’re Tehachapi’s second team under head coach Doug DeGeer, who, in his first season replacing Hall of Famer Steve Denman, posted a 7-6 mark a season ago. This led Tehachapi to their second-straight SYL title and a place in the CIF Central Section Division III semifinals. The team started slow last season, thanks in part to their tough schedule, but came around when league play started. That’s a lesson the second-year head coach is willing to accept — whether he’s learned it is still up in the air.
“I’m hoping I learned something, that’s for sure,” DeGeer said. “It’s one of those things where I need to remember to try to not do too much. We tried to do a little too much last year at the beginning and that kind of backfired.”
However, with the early start this season, there isn’t much time to waste as he prepares the 2018 edition of the Tehachapi Warriors.
“I don’t know if I learned my lesson in that sense; we’re still throwing a lot at them,” DeGeer said. “I’m trying to take a step back, though, and make sure we have the basics down and have all of our guys on the same page.”
DeGeer does have some help in that sense. His signal caller is senior Chris Garcia, who has spent time under center in each of the last two SYL championship seasons for Tehachapi, giving him leadership and knowledge.
“Chris, being a three-year starter, he’s going to be a guy we’re relying on. He knows the offense as well as anybody,” DeGeer said. “Coming into this season, Ralph [Curiel] and I knew we have this quarterback that can do different kinds of things, and that is definitely something we wanted to incorporate in our offense.”
Garcia threw for 351 yards last season but rushed for another 339 yards while tossing six touchdown passes and carrying in three more. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, the second-highest on the 2017 squad.
Garcia won’t be the only ball carrier for Tehachapi, although DeGeer has his own twist on the offense, running the ball like his hall of fame predecessor continues to be a priority.
Hayden Palmer, another workhorse and experienced veteran returns to the THS backfield following a junior season that included 525 yards and seven touchdowns. He’ll rely on the blocking up front of a mixed group, anchored by seniors Logan Smith and Jameson Williams. The remaining line is made up of sophomores and juniors. However, DeGeer notes they are real hard-nosed players that worked hard this summer and have been very consistent leading up to the new season.
Defensively, Tehachapi returns two starters from last season, although there were plenty of reps taken by some of the returning letter winners. Seniors Payton Stower, Harrison Wadkins and Palmer are expected to set the tone on defense while bringing everyone else up to speed, something they’ll have to do quickly with week one coming earlier than ever before.
The Warriors open the season on Aug. 17 hosting Wasco at Coy Burnett Field. Because CIF moved the season forward a few weeks, Tehachapi will play football the earliest it ever has in its 88-year history.
“It’s definitely a challenge that we’re up to, but this first week there’s nothing but distractions,” DeGeer said. “It’s the first week of school, it’s Mountain Festival, it’s still hot, it’s a home game — there are so many things going on.”
The Warriors, however, know their week-one opponent, Wasco, doesn’t care about those things, so preparation remains important for the Warriors players and coaches.
“Wasco will be doing the same thing. They know their double-wing like the back of their hand, so it really puts the pressure on us that we have to perform,” said DeGeer.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday night.
