1948 Warriors
In 1948, Shafter High School left the Sierra League for tougher large school competition. This left Maricopa, McFarland, and Tehachapi Warriors Claim 1948 Sierra League Championship
as the lone remaining schools in the league.
In an effort to expand the league, as stated in the 1948-49 Tomahawk Yearbook, "the Sierra League received four new schools,
Garces High, Bakersfield High varsity reserves, East High junior varsity, and the Taft junior varsity team."
The Warriors won the Sierra League with a final 5-0-1 record to qualify for the valley playoffs. For the season, the Warriors were 5-2-2.
The championship marked the first time in the 19 year history of the football program that the Warriors had won a title.
In Week 1, the Warriors played host to Desert League opponent Victorville. In a non-league tilt, the two schools played
in a defensive battle to the tune of a 0-0 tie.
In Week 2, the Warriors overwhelmed league newcomer Taft by a final 37-0 count. Paul Parks scored the first touchdown of the year
in the first quarter with a short run. The Warriors also scored on a George Vasquez-to-Art Moreno pass; an Elwin Williams 60 yard
interception return for a TD; and a Morris Grantham run in the final quarter.
In Bakersfield for Week 3, the Warriors improved their league record to 2-0 with a very tough 13-0 win over East Bakersfield High School.
Paul Parks scored the first Warrior TD on a short run and Don Peters ran back an interception for a TD in the 4th quarter to seal the victory.
In Week 4, the Warriors won their third league game in a row with a 19-6 victory over Maricopa. The first TD was a Tony Elizondo-to-Peters-to-Moreno pass play;
Bob Locke also blocked a punt and recovered it in the Maricopa end zone for a TD; and Elizondo again
connected with Peters, who threw a perfect strike to Williams for the final TD.
In Week 5, the Warriors traveled to Barstow to meet their Desert League rivals in a non-league game. The Riffians won a close game 13-6.
In Week 6, Tehachapi got back on the winning track by defeating Mcfarland 28-13 before a delighted hometown crowd. Scoring rushing touchdowns
were Parks, Elizondo, and Morentin. The final TD was a pass play with Peters hitting Morentin.In Week 7, the Warriors played host to the Bakersfield High Drillers varsity reserve team. As the largest school in Kern County,
Bakersfield had a number of talented players on their team. The Warriors would play one of their finest games of the season,
holding off Bakersfield, 12 to 7. Elizondo completed a 15 yard pass to Morentin for the first Warrior TD,
and Parks ran six yards for the winning TD in the final canto.
In the final week of the regular season, a new rivalry was born, as Tehachapi traveled to Bakersfield to meet Garces High School.
The two schools would play an entertaining game enroute to a 25-25 tie. Quarterback Elizondo scored the first Warrior TD on an 80 yard
bootleg run; Parks scored TD number two on a 14 yard run; the third TD was a Morentin-to-Moreno pass, with Parks scoring the all important PAT;
and Elizondo found Moreno in the end zone for a 28 yard pass play in the final stanza. The Garces tie was the only blemish
on the Warriors league record which ended at 5-0-1.
In the valley playoffs, the Warriors lost to a very talented Woodlake High team, 34-0. Woodlake won the Valley Championship
in the Sierra Division for the second year in a row.
Earning All-Sierra League 1st team honors were Arman Bender (center), Ronald Troxel (tackle), and Paul Parks (running back).
Tony Elizondo and Larry Wolfe also made the honorable mention team.
Bender was also the 1948 Warriors team Captain and earned a place on the All-Kern County All-Star team.
Team Captain and All-Kern County All-Star #10 Arman Bender
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| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | ||
| Oct 2 | Victorville | 00 | 00 | H | ||
| Oct 9 | Taft High Junior Varsity * | 37 | 00 | H | Morris Grantham: 1 TD rushing | |
| Oct 14 | East High Junior Varsity (Bakersfield) * | 13 | 00 | A | Paul Parks: 1 TD rushing | |
| Oct 23 | Maricopa * | 19 | 06 | H | Bob Locke: 1 TD Blocked Punt | |
| Oct 30 | Barstow | 06 | 13 | A | ||
| Nov 6 | McFarland * | 28 | 13 | H | Tony Elizondo: 1 TD rushing | |
| Nov 13 | Bakersfield High Varsity Reserves * | 12 | 07 | H | Paul Parks: 1 TD rushing | |
| Nov 20 | Garces (Bakersfield) * | 25 | 25 | A | Art Moreno: 2 TD pass receptions |
* Denotes League Game
| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Nov 26 | Woodlake | 00 | 34 | A |