Under the watchful eye of assistant coach Chris Jones, Warrior players execute offensive plays during spring football workouts
in anticipation of the 2022 season which begins August 19 against Burroughs. (Photo by Vicky Shea, The Tehachapi News.)
Posted May 29, 2022, by The Tehachapi News Sports Staff Warriors Look To Be The Hammer
In New Football Season
With the 2021-22 school year almost completed, all attention has turned to the upcoming fall season, and with it, Mountain football.
Over 50 student-athletes at the varsity and junior varsity level have been working out since January in drills and weight
lifting to get ready for Friday Night Lights.
“The team has been lifting and doing nonpad drills. They are hungry for more,” said head coach Kris Krempien.
“We have had the same core group of kids showing up every day, moving weight and showing improvement in their speed.”
Excitement is in the air, with many talented returners set to improve upon last year’s 5-6 season and first-round playoff victory.
Suiting up for Tehachapi in the upcoming season will be seniors Ryan Wilson, Wyatt Richie, Christian Morse, Ryan Walker,
Nick Smith, Kamron Westerby, Matthew Cardenas and Peniel Whiteside. Also on the team this year will be juniors AJ Anderson,
Jacob Root, Karson Tiewater, Kaleb Songer, Michael Jones, Tanner Gary, Adrian Navarro and Levi Hart.
Sophomore standouts Hayden Michael, Adrian Pina, Andrew Aguirre and Travis Mason will also be looked upon to
contribute on the varsity next season from last year’s junior varsity team.
While Tehachapi made their mark in the postseason last year by making the second round of the CIF Central Section
D5 playoffs in a loss to Fresno-Roosevelt, the results were unsatisfying.
“Our kids that played last year finished the season in an unfortunate way, and they are hungry to get back after
it and play some football,” added Krempien.
The upcoming schedule for Tehachapi is very favorable, with many familiar foes mixed in with a newly established conference,
the Mountain League. Last year, the Warriors were members of the South Yosemite League, but the CIF did a major shake-up
with all schools and placed Tehachapi in a five-team league with Bakersfield schools North, South, East and West.
In the pre-season, the Warriors will take on Ridgecrest-Burroughs, Bakersfield-Highland, Taft, Wasco, Arvin and Golden West.
“We like our schedule. We have a couple of opponents that we beat last year and a couple of opponents that beat us.
(In league) the longevity of it is definitely good for us and it levels the playing field,” Krempien said.
Themewise, last year was "reset" because the team was returning after a year off due to COVID; but this season,
the Warriors want to "be the hammer."
“In being the hammer, we want to take that mentality in all we do, academics or athletics,” explained Krempien.
“If the only tool you have is the hammer, we want everything to be the nail.”
Mountain Football Summer Key Dates:
13 Jun – Parent Meeting (Location TBD)
13 Jun to 15 Jul – Off-season Practice (Tehachapi High Campus)
14-16 Jun – TYF Tomahawk-Warrior Clinic (Benz-Visco Youth Fields)
04 Jul – Ed Grimes Memorial Pancake Breakfast (Philip Marx Park)
25 Jul – Regular Practice Begins (Tehachapi High Campus)
31 Jul – ‘Old Timers’ Picnic (Philip Marx Park)
Tehachapi Warriors Varsity Coaching Staff:
Kris Krempien – Head Coach
Mike Ledesma – Offensive Coordinator
Jason Hail – Defensive Coordinator
Chris Jones – Offensive-Defensive Line
2022 Regular Season Schedule
(Click On Individual Opponent For Year-by-Year Results)
OPPONENT THS OPP L SERIES HISTORY Aug 19 Burroughs (Ridgecrest) 00 00 A Warriors lead the series, 16-11. Aug 26 Highland (Bakersfield) 00 00 H Warriors lead the series, 6-5-1 Sep 2 Taft 00 00 H Warriors lead the series, 19-13-1. Sep 9 Wasco 00 00 A Warriors lead the series, 25-14. Sep 16 Arvin 00 00 A Warriors lead the series, 21-4. Sep 23 Golden West (Visalia) 00 00 H Warriors lead the series, 1-0. Sep 30 South Bakersfield) * 00 00 H Warriors lead the series, 3-0. Oct 7 East Bakersfield) * 00 00 A Warriors lead the series, 14-3. Oct 14 North Bakersfield * 00 00 A Warriors lead the series, 9-2. Oct 21 West Bakersfield) * 00 00 H Warriors lead the series, 8-3.
* Denotes Mountain League Game
