Tehachapi at Wasco Tigers
August 23, 2019
Posted by Corey Costelloe, The Tehachapi News, on August 24, 2019. Wasco Cruises To 45-0 Win Over Warriors
The Wasco Tigers took advantage of several Tehachapi miscues, including five turnovers while cruising to a 45-0 win over the Warriors in the 2019 season opener.
Tehachapi, coming off their worst season in 23 years after a 2-8 campaign in 2018, were hoping for a much better start, but struggled to contain the double-wing Wasco offense while allowing 390 total yards of offense, 357 of which came on the ground. Wasco rushed for five touchdowns in the victory starting with a Rodrick Scott seven-yard run that capped a six-play 62-yard drive to open the game.
Wasco recovered an onside kick on the next possession, but Tehachapi’s Trent Adams intercepted a pass in the endzone to end the drive. However, Tehachapi gave the ball back to the Tigers four plays later as quarterback Max Meza overthrew a receiver and was picked off. Wasco extended their lead seven plays later with a 20-yard touchdown run to go up 14-0. The Tigers added one more score to lead 21-0 at half, Tehachapi turned the ball over on downs deep in Wasco territory just prior to the end of the second quarter.
Meza started at quarterback for Tehachapi in place of Jacob Tye, who will be unavailable for the Warriors for the next few games. Meza managed 206 yards on offense while throwing for 68 yards but had three interceptions. Coupled with the two fumbles by the Warriors, Wasco was given a short field to operate on for much of the second half and added two more rushing touchdowns, a fumble recovery in the endzone for a score and a 35-yard field goal to cap their scoring.
“Plain and simple we lacked consistency and we didn’t execute at all,” said Tehachapi head coach Doug DeGeer. “We were out of alignment and pushed around on defense and we messed up assignments and turned the ball over five times on offense. You can’t win games doing that.”
The Warriors will host Bakersfield High School on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. It marks the first time in school history that BHS will travel to Tehachapi; the programs have met only twice previously at the varsity level.
With some players returning on defense, DeGeer hopes for a better showing on Friday night and corrections of the mistakes against Wasco.
“We have to work on being more disciplined and focus on the small things that win ball games,” he said.
BHS fell 29-14 at Calabasas to open their season and are searching for their first win under new head coach Michael Stewart.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Tehachapi High 0 0 0 0 00 Wasco High 0 0 0 0 45
Tehachapi High vs Wasco High Stats
THS WHS First Downs Rushes-Yards 22-52 52-414 Passing Yards 93 42 Comp-Att-Int 9-19-3 1-3-1 Total Yards 145 456 Punts 2-25.5 0-00.0 Penalties
Individual Statistics:
RUSHING—Tehachapi: Meza 6-26, Blatt 7-15, King 4-11, Smith 2-0, Adams 2-0.
Wasco: Alvarez 24-187, Scott 16-147, Martinez 4-48, Villanueva 3-11, Sharp 2-7, Lane 2-10, Prieto 1-4.
PASSING—Tehachapi: Meza 9-19-3. Wasco: Villanueva: 1-3-1.
RECEIVING—Tehachapi: Batson 3-43, Adams 3-21, O'Brien 2-25, King 1-4. Wasco: Cordova 1-42.
Varsity Records: Tehachapi 0-1. Wasco High 1-0.
Braves 06 Wasco JV's 50
Indians 46 Wasco Frosh 16