1989 Tehachapi Warriors
First row, left to right, Eric Bonner, Sean Pearson, Demitri Segal, Jeremy Howell, Paul Ogilvie, Benito Murguia, Brad Manuel, Alonzo Vega,
second row, Shane Dier, Richard Villines, Dayren Williams, Tim Grell, Keith Smith, Vincent Galan, Shad Aldritch, Eric Parks,
third row, Eric Young, Pete Graff, Adam Matthews, coaches Ruggles, Dodson, head coach Steve Denman, coaches Schkade, Dinely, Crumpacker, Anthony Kelley, James Valencia,
fourth row, John Hickey, Marcus Muro, Ryan Grimes, Shane Graham, Chris Podratz, Vern Hodge, Jason Valenzuela, Jason Caudle, Jeremy Herrera,
fifth row, Stephen Conway, Charles Scott, Brian Stevens, Fletcher Austin, Shawn Anderson, Shane Dees, Dennis Fitzjerrel, Todd Fink,
top row, Loew Elias, Brandon Parsley, Lavail Johnson, Steve Roemer, Greg Fassbender, Bucky Tucker, O. Samuel Goodwin.
Warriors Capture DIL Championship
Tehachapi Drops Heartbreaker in CIF Title Game
Under head coach Steve Denman, the Warriors would finish the 1989 season with a lofty 12-2 season record; 4-1 in pre-season play; 5-0 in league play; and 3-1 in the CIF playoffs.
Behind the 1-2 running combination of Anthony Kelley & Eric Young, the Warriors blew out their first two opponents, defeating Morro Bay, 47-0, and Serrano-Phelan, 27-0.
The competition would improve as the Warriors then faced three straight opponents from the tough South Sequoia League (SSL). The Warriors would hold on to defeat Wasco, 19-7, and then in a nailbiter, nipped Shafter, 14-9. Tehachapi suffered their only loss of the regular season in Bakersfield as the always tough Garces Rams shutout the Warriors, 17-0.
The Warriors then dominated five straight league opponents, averaging 33 points per game, enroute to another DIL championship. The Warriors also finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record at home.
During the regular season (10 games), Anthony Kelley led the Warriors with 1,165 yards rushing in 155 carries, scoring 17 TD's. Eric Young chipped in with 602 yards in 75 carries, scoring 11 TD's. Quarterback Ryan Grimes also contributed to the offensive attack with 37 passes in 74 attempts, good for 607 yards and 7 TD's. His favorite target was 6' 3", 195 pound wide receiver Lavail Johnson, who hauled in 13 passes for 313 yards and 3 TD's.
In the opening round of the CIF playoffs, the Warriors crushed Mammoth, 34-0. Anthony Kelley led the Warriors with 4 TD's and 109 yards rushing.
Round two would prove to be much more interesting as the Warriors traveled to Cerritos to play Valley Christian. Regulation play ended in a 10-10 tie. Using the CIF tie-breaker system, the Warriors needed two overtimes and a two point conversion to defeat VC, 25-24. The passing combination of Grimes-to-Johnson was good for 3 TD's.
Round three on the mountain was another nailbiter as the Warriors held off the Montclair Prep Mounties, 7-0, in a defensive battle. Kelley picked up 156 rushing yards in 28 carries, and scored the only touchdown of the game.
For the third consecutive year, the Warriors advanced to the CIF Division IX championship game! And for the third straight year, the Warriors met old nemisis Carpinteria! In 1987, Carpinteria won, and in 1988 it was a tie game (and a co-championship for each school).
In 1989, the championship game would be played on the neutral grounds of San Marcos High School in Goleta (Santa Barbara County). Again, it was the passing combination of Grimes-to-Johnson as the duo combined for 3 TD passes to rally the Warriors to a 21-17 lead with just a few minutes left in the game. Grimes completed 7 of 14 passes in the game for 158 passing yards. But the magic of quarterback Coley Candaele would again prevail, as the Carp Warriors rallied to score with just 37 seconds left in the game to defeat Tehachapi, 24-21.
For the season (14 total games), quarterback Grimes finished up at 56 for 120 for 998 passing yards. Kelly finished off a massive season with 1,612 rushing yards in 244 carries and 22 TD's. Young chipped in with 692 rushing yards and 12 TD's, and receiver Johnson hauled in 23 passes for 575 yards and 9 TD's.
Senior Anthony Kelly led the 1989-90 Warriors
with 22 TD's scored and 1,612 yards rushing.
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| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Sep 8 | Morro Bay | 47 | 00 | H | Anthony Kelly: 2 TD's, 214 yrds. rushing |
| Sep 16 | Serrano (Phelan) | 27 | 00 | A | Anthony Kelly: 2 TD's, 64 yds. rushing |
| Sep 22 | Wasco | 19 | 07 | A | Anthony Kelly: 1 TD |
| Sep 29 | Shafter | 14 | 09 | H | Anthony Kelly: 1 TD, 142 yds. rushing |
| Oct 6 | Garces (Bakersfield) | 00 | 17 | A | |
| Oct 13 | Mojave* | 37 | 21 | H | Eric Young: 4 TD's, 291 yds. rushing |
| Oct 20 | Desert (Edwards AFB)* | 27 | 12 | H | Anthony Kelly: 3 TD's, 238 yds. rushing |
| Oct 27 | Kern Valley (Kernville)* | 32 | 14 | H | Anthony Kelly: 2 TD's, 132 yds. rushing |
| Nov 3 | Bishop* | 28 | 16 | A | Anthony Kelly: 2 TD's, 226 yds. rushing |
| Nov 10 | Paraclete (Lancaster)* | 42 | 13 | A | Anthony Kelly: 3 TD's, 104 yds. rushing |
* Denotes League Game
| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Nov 17 | Mammoth | 34 | 00 | H | Anthony Kelly: 4 TD's, 109 yds. rushing |
| Nov 24 | Valley Christian (Cerritos) | 25 | 24 | A | Lavail Johnson: 3 TD's Pass Rec., 121 yds. |
| Dec 1 | Montclair Prep (Van Nuys) | 07 | 00 | H | Anthony Kelly: 1 TD, 156 yds. rushing |
| Dec 9 | Carpinteria | 21 | 24 | A | Lavail Johnson: 3 TD's Pass Rec., 109 yds. |