1960 Warriors
The 1960 champion Warriors include, front row, left to right, #21 Louie Villacana, #1 Mickey Mancuso, #15 Leroy Ary, #7 Oscar Pena, #27 Dan Freng,
#8 Bob Mitchell, #11 Gene Rymel, #6 Doug Bingham, #22 Leroy Booth, #23 Steve Cummings, #29 Charles Breault, #4 Stan Beckham, back row, #17 Dennis
Jennings, #16 Bob Blair, #28 Gary Christie, #30 Ted Leiva, #26 Ron Gough, #20 Ed Wiggins, #19 Clarence Hibbs, #12 Mike Killingsworth, #10 Eugene Hayes,
#18 Harold Nathan, and #24 Gus Canales. Not pictured are Dan Acuna, Joe Esparza, Gerald Killingsworth, & Stan Weaver.
Coach Jordan's fourth and final season as the Warrior head coach turned out to be his best! After recording back-to-back losing seasons, the 1960 Warriors won their first Desert-Inyo League Championship with a 5-1 league record; and 9-2 overall. Warriors Win First DIL Championship
Since Joining The League in 1957
In the season opener at Lake Isabella, the Warriors crushed Kern Valley High School 49-0. The Warrior offense erupted for 419 total yards with 282 rushing yards and 137 passing yards. Running back Doug Bingham rushed for 113 yards in 8 carries, scoring two TD's. Running back Dan Acuna also rushed for 87 yards and scored two TD's; Gene Rymal rushed for two TD's and reserve quarterback Bob Blair threw two TD passes.
The Warriors were just as impressive in Week 2 by defeating the South High Rebel JV's in Bakersfield, 47-0. Acuna paced the Warriors with 92 yards rushing, scoring three rushing TD's, and two rushing PAT's. Bingham rushed for 63 yards, scored two rushing TD's, and threw a TD pass to end Mike Killingsworth. The Warrior offense totaled 368 yards of total offense.
Week 3 was another road game in McFarland, and the Tehachapi defense made it three shutouts in a row by blanking McFarland, 26-0. Acuna made the most of his 30 yards rushing, scoring three TD's. Gene Rymal collected 64 yards rushing in 8 carries, scoring 1 TD.
In Week 4, before a delighted hometown crowd, the Warriors crushed Tulare Western High School, 60-13. The 60 points scored was the second highest total for the most points score in a single game (the record was 74). The Warrior offense tallied 312 yards of offense with Gene Rymal rushing for 115 yards in 5 carries, scoring 2 TD's. Acuna acored 4 TD's, including an 80 yard kickoff return for a TD, and a 33 yard interception return for a TD. Rounding out the scoring were Bingham with a 54 yard TD run; Stan Beckham with a 6 yard TD run; and a Blair-to-Leroy Ary 16 yard TD pass.
The Warriors were now 4-0, and it set the stage for a big DIL showdown with rival Bishop on the mountain. Tehachapi did not disappoint the Warrior faithful, shutting out the Broncos, 20-0. The Warriors led 6-0 at the half on a Bob Mitchell 3 yard TD run; 13-0 after three quarters thanks to a 3 yard run by Acuna (Acuna-to-Killingsworth PAT); and closed out the game with a 4th quarter TD score on a 68 yard interception return by Acuna (Mitchell PAT run). The victory over Bishop was the first win against the Broncos since 1933 --- and snapped a nine game losing streak against the school from the northern Sierra's.
In Week 6, the Warriors continued their winning ways by blanking Trona, 13-0, in Tehachapi, in a gritty defensive battle. The score was deadlocked at 0-0 going into the 4th quarter before the Warriors managed to score two TD's. Acuna scored on a 13 yard TD run (Acuna-to-Mitchell PAT) and scored again in the closing minute of the game on a 15 yard run (PAT failed). Rymal led the Warriors with 113 yards rushing while Acuna added 64 yards rushing. The Warriors had 206 offensive yards, 191 rushing yards.
Going into Week 7, the Warriors were flying high with a 6-0 record, including five shutout victories. Tehachapi traveled to Lone Pine to face the struggling Golden Eagles. On a cold rainy day, in muddy conditions, Lone Pine "shocked" the Warriors by escaping with a narrow 14-12 upset win. The Golden Eagles scored first on a 13 play, 68 yard TD drive, as 217 pound running back Orville "Horse" Leau scored on a 6 yard power play run. The PAT kick was good for a 7-0 lead. The Warriors bounced back with two 2nd quarter TD's to lead 12-7 at the half. The first TD was a 9 play, 62 yard drive, capped by a Mitchell 5 yard run (PAT failed). The second TD was a 6 play, 65 yard drive, ending in a Hayes 1 yard TD dive (PAT failed). Lone Pine scored in the final quarter on a long drive ending in another Leau TD run of 2 yards. Acuna led the Warriors with 85 yards rushing, as the Warriors rushed for a total of 164 yards, and completed 3 of 8 passes for 61 yards.
In Week 8, the Warriors rebounded against the Desert Scorpions on a rain soaked Coy Burnett Field, this time winning another close game, 13-12. Tehachapi trailed 12-0 at the half, but after an inspiring halftime speech by coach Jordan, the Warriors ralled for two second half TD's. Acuna scored both TD's on runs of 17 yards and 60 yards. A successful PAT run by Rymal was the difference in the game. Acuna led the Warriors with 121 yards on 18 carries; Rymal had 40 yards on 11 carries; and Mitchell added 20 rushing yards.
Week 9 was the league finale, a showdown with Mojave for the DIL championship. Unfortunately, the Warriors suffered a tremendous setback when star running back Dan Acuna suffered a non football related injury --- a broken foot --- knocking him out of the game.
Playing in wind swept Mojave, the Warriors scored two TD's in the first half to take a 13-0 lead, and held on to win the game 13-12. Bingham scored the first Warrior TD on a 37 yard run (PAT failed), and QB Hayes connected with Mike Killingsworth on a 34 yard pass play to cap a 5 play, 67 yard, second quarter TD drive (Hayes PAT run). Bingham led the Warriors with 125 yards in 13 carries and Rymal added 46 rushing yards.
Entering the CIF small school playoffs as the DIL champions, the Warriors played host to Hi-Lo League champions Big Pine (6-2). On Thanksgiving Day, without the services of Acuna, Tehachapi shutout Big Pine 38-0. Rymal scored on a 2 yard TD run; Bingham scored on a 6 yard TD run; Hayes scored two TD's on runs of 1 yard and 32 yards; Hayes also connected with Killingsworth for a 1 yard TD pass; and Bingham also had a 35 yard pass to Killingsworth for a TD.
In the second round of the playoffs, the Warriors traveled to Fullerton Junior College to play the Servite Friars of Anaheim. Before a crowd in excess of 2,000 fans, Servite defeated the Warriors in a thrilling contest, 31-20, behind the 271 yard rushing effort of Len Klikunas.
Bingham scored the first Warrior TD on a 6 yard run; Mitchell also scored on a 3 yard TD run; and Leroy Ary returned a fumble 19 yards for a TD. Mitchell led the Warriors with 50 yards rushing; Acuna gained 27 yards; and Rymal had 26 yards. The Warriors totaled 238 offensive yards against the Friars, 147 rushing yards and 91 yards passing. Servite would go on to win a CIF Small Schools Championship in 1960.
Complete through the Desert High game, running back Acuna had scored 101 points (16 TD's and 5 PAT's). He appeared to be on his way to breaking the school record for most points scored in a single season until he broke his foot. Acuna missed both the Mojave and Big Pine games. He played against Servite --- but did not score. Acuna finished the season with 726 rushing yards.
The Warriors placed four men on the all-league 1st team. They were running back Dan Acuna, linemen Clarence Hibbs and Ed Wiggins, and wide receiver Mike Killingsworth. Running back Doug Bingham was also selected to the all-league 2nd team.
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LISTING OF DIL CHAMPS
FROM 1957-1991
Game-by-Game Results
OPPONENT THS OPP L GAME HIGHLIGHT Sep 24 Kern Valley (Lake Isabella) 49 00 A Doug Bingham: 1 TD, 113 yards rushing Oct 1 South High JV's (Bakersfield) * 47 00 A Dan Acuna: 3 TD's, 92 yards rushing Oct 8 McFarland * 26 00 A Dan Acuna: 3 TD's, 30 yards rushing Oct 15 Tulare Western * 60 13 H Dan Acuna: 4 TD's, 80 yard TD kickoff return Oct 22 Bishop 20 00 H Dan Acuna: 2 TD's, 68 yard TD int. return Oct 29 Trona 13 00 H Dan Acuna: 2 TD's, 64 yards rushing Nov 5 Lone Pine 12 14 A Eugene Hayes: 1 TD run Nov 12 Desert (Edwards AFB) 13 12 H Dan Acuna: 2 TD's, 121 yards rushing Nov 18 Mojave 13 12 A Doug Bingham: 1 TD, 125 yards rushing
* Denotes Non League Game
CIF Southern Section Small School Playoffs
OPPONENT THS OPP L GAME HIGHLIGHT Nov 26 Big Pine 38 00 H Mike Killingsworth: 2 TD pass receptions Dec 2 Servite (Anaheim) 20 31 A Leroy Ary: 1 TD, 19 yard TD fumble return
