2001 Warriors
The 2001 Warriors include #1 Ryan Lange, 2 Eric Anderson, 3 James Murphy, 3 John Sullivan, 4 Chris Nunez, 5 Doug Randall, 6 Josh Christy, 7 Chad Bennett,
8 Chris Denman, 9 Matt Schaefer, 10 Ian Steele, 11 Greg Sanchez, 12 Jared Warner, 15 Cody Schmidt, 16 Jacob Faulkner, 18 Victor Banks, 18 Eddie Parker,
20 Danny Vandeventer, 21 Derik Easttom, 22 David Lara, 23 Billy Young, 24 Gary Evans, 25 Mark Heisser, 26 Philip Altieri, 28 Willie Greenan,
30 Paul Peterson, 31 Tyson Schmidt, 32 Scott Lantz, 33 Zac Reiswig, 34 Tony Troffer, 35 Darren Collins, 38 Brian Avila, 40 Nick Booker, 41 Bob DiRado,
42 Alfredo Yttesen, 44 Jake Steele, 45 Mason Snow, 45 Mark Tarin, 50 Andy Grantham, 51 Kevin Sanchez, 52 Tim Wilson, 53 Joe Erwin, 55 Brandon Lykins,
56 Jacob Perry, 57 Matt Whitlock, 58 Ben Willer, 59 Jon O'Brien, 61 Jed Ingraham, 64 Padriac Campbell, 65 Tom Stainaker, 66 Jason Dusel,
68 Chad Ohl-Trlica, 71 Travis Plumlee, 72 Morgan Weaver, 76 Ryan Smith, 77 Viviano Aguilar, 78 Jordan Griffen, 80 Jed Larson, 81 Jason Koelsch, and 85 Layton Guggemos.
Attention Warrior Alumni: We are seeking a color photograph for this team.
Back-To-Back SSL Titles For Tehachapi
Warriors Share Crown With Garces & Liberty
In coach Steve Denman's 20th year as the head coach of the Warrior football program, Tehachapi earned a tri-championship in the South Sequoia League with a 4-1 record; 7-3 overall.
Under Denman, a Tehachapi High School alumnus, the Warriors won the SSL championship for the 2nd year in a row, and the 4th time since joining the league in 1992. Denman has led the Warriors to a CIF post-season playoff berth in 16 of his 20 years at the school, including three CIF Championships.
In pre-league play, the Warriors won the Week 1 contest by overpowering Bishop, 54-0, in Bishop. Gary Evans scored two TD's on 139 yards rushing; Chad Bennett also scored two TD's with 102 rushing yards; Jake Steele scored on a 23 yard fumble return for a TD; Derik Easttom scored on a 23 yard TD pass from QB Jared Warner; and Scott Lantz scored on a 5 yard run.
In Week 2, the Warriors traveled down to Bakersfield to play the BHS Drillers for the first time in school history. The sequence of events that led to the chance meeting of these two schools was also quite unusual. This was not a regularly scheduled game for either team. The tragic events in New York on September 11, 2001, led to the cancellation of sporting events all over the country. For Tehachapi and Bakersfield, their schedules were adjusted leading to this new game on the schedule. The gutty Warriors played a tremendous game against Bakersfield, before losing 14-6. Evans scored the lone Warrior TD on an exciting 68 yard run.
Bakersfield went on to win a CIF Championship with a perfect 13-0 record in the Yosemite Division Large School Division --- and finished 5th in the final state rankings.
In Week 3, the Warriors defeated Foothill on the mountain, 27-17. Bennett led the Warriors with 168 yards rushing and Evans chipped in with 89 yards. Danny Vandeventer scored on two short TD runs; tight end Chris Denman hauled in a 17 yard TD pass from QB Easttom; and Evans scored on a 32 yard TD run.
In Week 4, in the SSL opener, the Warriors outscored Liberty by 1 point in the final quarter to preserve a hard fought victory, 7-6. The lone Warrior score came from Easttom on a 22 yard run. Evans led the Warrior ground game with 156 yards.
In Week 5, the Warriors outscored Arvin, 20-9. Evans led the Warriors with 142 rushing yards and one TD; Bennett rushed for 112 yards and one TD; and Easttom scored on a 22 yard run.
In Week 6, Tehachapi improved to 3-0 in SSL play with a 35-18 thumping of Shafter. Easttom ran wild with 183 yards rushing and 3 TD's; Vandeventer scored one TD on a 1 yard plunge; and Evans scored a TD on a 19 yard sprint.
In Week 7, the Warriors shutout Taft, 22-0. Easttom led Tehachapi with 126 rushing yards and one TD; Bennett accounted for 118 yards rushing, including a 69 yard run for a TD; and Vandeventer had a short 2 yard TD plunge.
In Week 8, the Warriors held on to narrowly defeat Wasco, 21-20. The Warriors improved their SSL record to 5-0. Evans led the Warriors with 144 yards rushing on 14 carries; Vandeventer scored two TD's on short runs in the 1st and 2nd quarters; and Easttom scored the third Warrior TD of the game in the 4th quarter on a 2 yard run.
In Week 9, the Warriors were upset by Garces, in overtime, before a stunned hometown crowd, 19-18. Regulation play ended in a 12-12 tie. The Warriors scored twice in regulation play on long TD runs by Evans of 88 yards and 50 yards. Easttom scored the Warrior TD in overtime on a 5 yard run. The PAT rushing attempt for the win came up short. Evans led the Warriors with 148 yards rushing. With the loss, the Warriors shared the 2001 SSL title with Liberty and Garces.
The Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs at home, as new school Clovis East knocked off the Warriors 7-6. Easttom scored the lone Warrior TD on a 5 yard run. The Warrior offense was held to a season low of 89 yards of total offense.
Liberty went on to win their first CIF championship by defeating Clovis East, 25-14, in the finals of the Sequoia League-Large School Division Championship.
Earning all-league 1st team honors for the Warriors in 2001 were Chris Denman (tight end & def. end), Matt Whitlock (lineman), Jacob Perry (lineman), Matt Schaefer (linebacker), and Derik Easttom (def. back). Earning 2nd team honors were Gary Evans (back), Andy Grantham (lineman), Josh Cristy (linebacker), Ryan Lange (def. end), and Easttom (back).
Statistically for the Warriors, Evans ran for 1,070 yards in 112 carries, scoring a team leading 8 TD's; Bennett racked up 665 yards on 108 carries; Denman led the team with 7 pass receptions, good for 116 yards; quarterback Jared Warner completed 10 of 39 passes for 170 yards, Easttom connected on 9 of 32 passes for 164 passing yards; and Sullivan kicked 20 of 26 PAT attempts.
For a comlete listing of Tom Shea's 2001 "Weekly Warrior" articles, please click here.
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LISTING OF SSL CHAMPS
SINCE 1992
Game-by-Game Regular Season Results
(Click On Individual Opponent For Game Summary) OPPONENT THS OPP L GAME HIGHLIGHT Sept 7 Bishop 54 00 A Gary Evans: 2 TD's, 139 yds. rushing Sept 14 Rosamond 00 00 A Game Canceled - National Day of Prayer Sept 21 Bakersfield High 06 14 A Gary Evans: 1 TD, 109 yds. rushing Sept 28 Foothill (Bakersfield) 27 17 H Chad Bennett: 168 yds. rushing, 26 carries Oct 5 Liberty (Bakersfield) * 07 06 H Derik Easttom: 1 TD, 23 yds. rushing Oct 12 Arvin * 20 09 A Gary Evans: 1 TD, 142 yds. rushing Oct 19 Shafter * 35 18 A Derik Easttom: 3 TD's, 183 yds. rushing Oct 26 Taft * 22 00 H Derik Easttom: 1 TD, 126 yds. rushing Nov 2 Paraclete (Lancaster) 00 00 H Game Canceled - Scheduling Conflict Nov 9 Wasco * 21 20 A Danny Vandeventer: 2 TD's, 51 yds. rushing Nov 16 Garces * 18 19 H Gary Evans: 2 TD's, 148 yds. rushing
* Denotes League Game
CIF Central Section (San Joaquin Valley) Sequoia Division Playoffs
OPPONENT THS OPP L GAME HIGHLIGHT Nov 23 Clovis East 06 13 H Derik Easttom: 1 TD, 38 yds. rushing
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PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS
