Taft Wildcats at Tehachapi
Friday, October 17, 2003
After a sluggish 1st half, the Warrior defense came alive in the 2nd half to force a number of Wildcat turnovers.
The 23-18 Warrior victory improves their SSL record to 2-0. (Photo's by thswarriors.com)
Posted By The Bakersfield Californian, on October 18, 2003 Tehachapi Rallies Past Taft, 23-18
TEHACHAPI -- Tanner Hutchinson ran for 156 yards and scored three second-half touchdowns to lead Tehachapi (2-0 SSL) to a 23-18 comeback victory against Taft.
Taft (0-2 SSL) held an 18-0 halftime advantage after Frank Seiuli scored from1 yard with four seconds left.
Hutchinson led the comeback by breaking for a 50-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Then Tehachapi's defense stepped up to produce two big second-half turnovers that led to the Warriors' next two scores.
Midway through the fourth quarter Taft quarterback Jason Wade was sacked and fumbled.
Tehachapi's Jeremy Clark returned it 35 yards to the Taft 25-yard line.
The Warriors later converted on a fourth-and-4 situation from the 19-yard line when Chris Haycock hooked up with Josh Lange on an 18-yard pass play to set up a 1-yard plunge by Hutchison, pulling the Warriors within 19-16 with 6:20 left.
The Tehachapi defense came up big again with Taft facing a third-and-5 at its 24-yard line.
The Warriors' David Gonzales picked off Wade's pass and returned it to the 18. Hutchinson scored the winning touchdown from 14 yards out two plays later with 4:11 remaining. Hutchinson plowed in for the two-point conversion to give the Warriors a 23-18 lead.
The Wildcats were unable to move the ball on their next possession as Gonzales deflected a fourth-down pass by Wade.
Tehachapi converted a 4th-and-1 with 1:38 at the Taft 39 as Hutchinson picked up five yards to seal the win.
Taft went 65 and 69 yards on its first two possessions to jump out to a 12-0 lead.
Seiuli scored on a 1-yard run and Wade connected with Brad Meadows from 12 yards out on Taft's next drive.
Seiuli's late first-half touchdown came after pass plays of 37 and 25 yards. Taft gained 74 of its 130 rushing yards in the first quarter and only managed 57 passing yards in second half.
Dating back to 1932, the Warriors and Taft meet for the 23rd time in school history. With the thrilling come-from-behind 23-18 victory,
the Warriors now hold a 12-10-1 lead in the overall series. (Photo by thswarriors.com)
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Taft 6 12 0 0 18 Tehachapi 0 0 7 16 23
The Scoring:
1st Quarter:
Taft--Seiuli 1 run (kick failed)
2nd Quarter:
Taft--Meadows 12 pass from Wade (run failed)
Taft--Seiuli 1 run (pass failed)
3rd Quarter:
Teh--Hutchinson 50 run (Haycock kick)
4th Quarter:
Teh--Hutchinson 1 run (Hutchinson run)
Teh--Hutchinson 14 run (Hutchinson run)
TAFT vs TEHACHAPI
Taft THS First Downs 14 9 Rushes-Yards 42-130 40-185 Passing Yards 174 36 Comp-Att-Int 11-22-1 4-7-1 Total Yards 304 221 Punts 4-34.0 1-32.0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-2 Penalties 8-60 3-25
Individual Statistics
Rushing--Taft, Kerr 17-62, Beath 8-30, McKnight 7-16, Seiuli 3-7, Wade 6-1; Tehachapi, Hutchinson 25-156, Lange 6-20, Clark 4-18, Haycock 4-(-3), Barcelona 1-(-3).
Passing--Taft, Wade 11-22-1-174; Tehachapi, Haycock 2-5-1-21, Barcelona 2-2-0-15.
Receiving--Taft, Harlan 4-67, Kerr 3-69, Peters 2-19, Meadows 1-12, McNinch 1-7; Tehachapi, Wright 2-15, Lange 1-18, Hutchinson 1-3.
Varsity -- Taft 0-2 SSL (4-3 overall); Tehachapi 2-0 SSL (4-3 overall)
JV -- Tehachapi 46, Taft 0. (Tehachapi 6-1 overall; 2-0 in SSL)
Frosh -- Tehachapi 36, Taft 0. (Tehachapi 4-3 overall; 1-1 in SSL)
