HOLEY TOLEDO! NO ROUTE IN RAM LAND
Posted 11-09-02
Garces can blame it on the rain…cause the rain won’t mind. Right Warriors?
Even though Tehachapi lost a slip-and-slide thriller to Garces last Friday night, fact of the matter is, the Rams high-octane offense was still held to the lowest scoring output all season. Lower than Liberty’s even, who this week beat Foothill to be the Southeast Yosemite League Champion.
For that, Warriors, you should be extremely proud.
Over the years, both Tehachapi and Garces have reeled off some outstanding football teams. Usually, the better football team not only wins the game, but wins in a route.
This year, there was no route for the Rams, and this might be the greatest team that Garces has, or will, ever assemble in their storied history.
You want more? Ok.
Considering that the Division IV #1 team in the state was held to 19 points, and the game wasn’t decided until the fourth quarter ...
Heck of a job Warriors. Big games are played with everything laid on the line, and Tehachapi, you left it all out on the field. Great game!
Now lets get to the highlights ...
The one positive note about the downpour was that it gave Tehachapi an advantage against the Ram Wing. Adam Cook was even venting some frustration after the game saying that the rain didn’t allow Garces to make cuts to the outside, forcing a lot of the action and ball movement to have to go through the middle.
And the passing game? Virtually non-existent for Garces ... at least compared to what they’re used to. But hey, Tehachapi wasn’t complaining.
The Warriors seemed to hold their own throughout the entire first half. Limiting Garces to only 74 yards in the first quarter was a positive note, but even more importantly, their was still a goose-egg residing on the ‘home’ side of the scoreboard (and no, their was no numbers in front of the zero).
The second quarter, the Rams finally got on the board when they drove 48 yards in four plays, capping the drive with a James Bailey jaunt through the defensive front four. Disappointing…but it was still anyone’s game at halftime, down 7-0.
After punting their first seven of eight drives for the game, Tehachapi finally got on the scoreboard with just over ten minutes left in the fourth. Starting at the Tehachapi 38-yard line, Greg Sanchez hit a key third down and 12 pass to Philip Altieri for 13 yards and a first down. The next play in Garces territory, Sanchez struck again to Mike Wright, who pierced through two defenders on a flag route to receive a dart that went all the way for a score. Johnny Sullivan’s kick was blocked, but the Warriors were only down one.
Let me say that again ... down by one ... 7-6 ... in the fourth quarter.
And man, was Garces probably nervous. Up until five minutes left in the fourth, it was anyone’s game. It was probably the first time in a long time that Adam Cook, Matt Oliver, James Bailey, and Shaun Hylton were taking snaps after the third quarter, much less having to play a close contest.
Garces ... for the first time in many weeks ... had a ball game on their hands.
Late in the game, the Rams caught some momentum swings when Tehachapi had turnovers on three of their last four drives of the game. Garces converted the good field position into points, eventually winning by the final count of 19-6.
For the game, I have to give the nod to the Tehachapi defense. Individually, Anthony Scott and Alfredo Yettsen each had seven tackles and a sack, Mike Faulkner had six tackles and a pass deflection, Bob DiRado, Mark Heisser, Josh Christy, and Jed Ingraham had five tackles apiece, and AJ Barcelona had four tackles. Also, there was a host of Warriors that provided pressure to Oliver and backfield containment on the Ram wingbacks all night.
I can’t single anyone player out for the effort given in week 10, so, I won't. Any player that took a snap against the Garces Wing-T gets my vote for player of the week. Congratulations for giving the best offense in the county all they can handle! You guys played great!
WEEKLY WARRIOR NOTES
--- A lot of tremors occurring in the playoff brackets. As a change of pace, I’m going to give my two-cents on the Yosemite selections. Please bare with it…Tehachapi’s playoff path is just a few short paragraphs down ...
In the Large Yosemite Division, I couldn’t believe that Clovis East was given a #5 seed. At 9-1, Clovis East beat the #1 seed Buchanan 34-20, the #2 seed Central 13-7. To add insult to injury, they also beat the #4 seed Clovis West 24-7, and guess what? They have to go on the road to play Clovis West. At the very least, put Clovis East behind Clovis, but not behind three other schools on top of that.
In the Small Yosemite Division, I felt that Granite Hills got a severe injustice as well, and I’ve sent my piece to the Porterville paper explaining why. Granite Hills had a co-league championship, an 8-2 record, and a denial of a playoff spot. To me, it doesn’t make any since, especially when you have the #2 and #3 seed in with a tarnished record caused by ineligible players during the season.
Ok ... now to the Sequoia Large. Tehachapi’s in ... at a #4 seed. Yes Warrior fans, a home game. Against Sierra? No, unfortunately. That honor will have to be saved for another time.
Against who then, you say?
The CIF committee has given us the daunting task of the Dinuba Emperors (4-6 for the season), who enter the playoffs on a hot streak winning four of their last five games, losing only to eventual league champion Lindsay 21-7 in the East Sequoia League on October 18th.
I’ll have a commentary on the Emperors early this week. As the Garces announcer would say…”Stay tuned, sports fans!”
For complete bracket analysis, you can
visit the central section website
for a breakdown of each Yosemite and Sequoia
Division.
Go Warriors! On to CIF ...
--- A special congratulations goes out
to the Tehachapi Indians this week. Behind the steady running of Robert Wright
and Paul Abarquez, the Indians reeled off 336 total yards in a 36-12 thrashing
of the freshmen Ramblers. The win gave the Indians a South Sequoia League
Championship. Congratulations freshmen!
Also, not to be outdone in the win
column was the Braves, who toughed out harsh conditions last Friday to win their
last game of the season, 8-6, over Garces. Many of the Braves turned in
outstanding performances in that game and all season, ensuring a bright future
for Warrior teams in the immediate future.
Next year, Braves defensive frontline
standouts Trenton Para, Greg Harrod, and freshman Mike Papac and Mike Barboa
should help bolster the front line, while Jared Stevens, Marcus Coates, and
freshman Lance Lange will help keep opposing offenses honest in the secondary.
On offense, the addition of David
Gonzales in speed and Sean Finley as a power bruiser through the middle should
help the Warriors immensely in their bid for a league title next year. Alan
O’Brien and Ralph Curiel should also have potential to help out on the
offensive line.
Congrats to both teams on a great
season!
