1971 Warriors
The 1971 Warriors include, bottom row, left to right, Dave White, Bob Sanchez, Dennis Grantham, Rick Kragenbrink, David Cord,
L.E. Fite, Mike Uli (with ball), Arnold Valdez, Tony Goodspeed, Gary Warner, Alfred Aguilar; middle row, DeWayne Shellcross, Dave Gary,
Rick Madden, Art MacNeel, Bill Robison, John Davis, Mike Dickerson, Ron Rawlison, Wayne Longcrier, Rick Dodson, Larry Blair;
back row, Charlie Jackson, Joe Gamboa, Jim Stewart, Hugh Vasquez, Nick Madden, Tim McLaughlin, Tim Gassaway, Tim Nelson, Gerald Bidabe, Don Burgeis;
top row, head coach Gary Ogilvie, team trainers Jon Reyes, David Gilmore, Paul Brown, Andy Thu, and assistant coach Frank Crumpacker.
Gary Ogilvie, in his first year as head coach, led the Warriors back into the CIF playoffs for the first time since 1968. The 1971 edition of the gridiron squad finished the regular season with a 7-1 DIL record (8-1 overall), finishing in 2nd place behind league champion Rosamond. First Year Coach Gary Ogilvie
Leads Warriors Into The Playoffs With 7-1 DIL Log
As predicted, the opening game of the season lived up to the pre-season hype as being the probable championship game of the season. In a defensive battle, the Roadrunners (behind QB Russ Wilber) outlasted the Warriors by a final 14 to 6 count. The lone Warrior TD came on a dramatic 103 yard interception return by defensive back Charlie Jackson (he caught the ball 3 yards deep in the end zone). The official record books will record the feat as a 100 yard TD return of an interception --- and becoming only the second known Warrior to return an interception 100 yards. (Rick Ramos returned an interception 100 yards for a TD in 1964 versus Lone Pine.)
Throughout the season, the Warriors used a game plan of ball control behind the bruising running of big 205 pound fullback Mike Uli. Uli would lead the Warriors by rushing for over 800 yards and scoring 13 TD's (a team leading 86 total points including PAT's).
Led by aggressive lineman L.E. Fite, the Warrior defense would not allow more than 2 TD's in any game during the season, and held their opponents to 1 TD or less in six games.
After the Rosamond loss, the Warriors rebounded in Week 2 to defeat rival Bishop, 13-8, on the home turf of the high Sierra range Broncos. Dennis Grantham led the Warriors in rushing with 61 yards while Uli scored twice, collecting 42 yards.
In Week 3, Tehachapi overwhelmed Boron, 28-8. The scoring included a one yard TD dive by sophomore Jim Stewart (Fite PAT kick); a Uli TD run (QB Robison 2 pt. conversion); a Robison one yard TD plunge; and a Robison to Uli 29 yards TD pass play (Fite PAT kick). The Warriors collected 200 yards rushing.
In Week 4, the Warriors outlasted the Mojave Mustangs and QB Larry Satterfield by a 22-15 margin. Uli scored the first Warrior TD on a 1 yard run play (Fite PAT kick); Nick Madden scored on a 16 yard reverse play (Robison to Mike Dickerson 15 yard pass 2 pt. conversion); and Uli rounded out the scoring on another 1 yard TD dive (Fite PAT kick). Uli had his best rushing game of the young season with 156 yards.
Midway through the 1971 season, in a non-league game, the Warriors upset LA Baptist in the big homecoming game by a 20-8 margin. With starting QB Robison out of action due to an injury, Nick Madden filled in at QB and did a superb job (4-11 passing; 78 yards). Uli scored the first Warrior TD on a 2 yard run (Fite PAT kick); Madden connected with Grantham on a 7 yard pass play (Fite PAT kick); and Rick Madden scored on a short fumble return for a TD in the 4th quarter. Uli rambled for 84 yards on 20 carries. Running back Steve Tetrick led LA Baptist with 217 yards rushing.
Led by Tetrick (who later played for UCLA), LA Baptist went on to win the CIF Southern Section small schools championship, defeating Rosamond, 20-13, in the finals. LA Baptist ended the season with just one loss (to Tehachapi).
The Warriors finished out the regular season by whipping Kern Valley, 46-14; Lone Pine, 20-8; Trona, 32-13; and Desert, 45-6.
The inspired Warriors seemingly entered the CIF playoffs with a lot of momentum. However, the Tehachapi season was cut short by the difference of a 2 point safety, as Holtville upset the Warriors, 9-7. Uli, who scored the lone Warrior TD in the first 3 minutes of the game, also gained most of his 97 yards in the first half. He was injured early in the third quarter and the Warrior offense sputtered from that point on.
Uli led the 1971 team offense with 13 TD's; Grantham and Stewart had 3 TD's each; and lineman Fite converted on 13 PAT kicks during the season.
Mike Uli and L.E. Fite proved to be the leaders of the team as they received All-CIF honors as well as team Most Valuable Player awards. In addition, selected as All-League 1st team players were David Cord (center), Mike Dickerson (def. back), Bob Sanchez (linebacker), Gary Warner (lineman), Fite (lineman), and Uli (running back).
Click Here For |
| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Sep 24 | Rosamond | 06 | 14 | H | Charlie Jackson: 1 TD, 100 yd. pass int. return |
| Oct 1 | Bishop | 13 | 08 | A | Mike Uli: 2 TD's, 42 yds. rushing |
| Oct 8 | Boron | 28 | 08 | H | Mike Uli: 2 TD's |
| Oct 15 | Mojave | 22 | 15 | A | Mike Uli: 2 TD's, 156 yds. rushing |
| Oct 22 | LA Baptist (North Hills) * | 20 | 08 | H | Mike Uli: 1 TD, 84 yds. rushing |
| Oct 29 | Kern Valley (Lake Isabella) | 46 | 14 | A | Mike Uli: 1 TD, 75 yds. rushing |
| Nov 5 | Lone Pine | 20 | 08 | A | Mike Uli: 1 TD, 100 yds. rushing |
| Nov 12 | Trona | 32 | 13 | H | Tony Goodspeed: 1 TD, 57 yds. rushing |
| Nov 19 | Desert (Edwards AFB) | 45 | 06 | H | Mike Uli: 2 TD's |
* Denotes Non League Game
| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Nov 26 | Holtville | 07 | 09 | A | Mike Uli: 1 TD, 97 yds. rushing |