WARRIORS LOOK TO PAD PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS
Posted 9-22-02
After two wins to start the year, it can be easy to become complacent during the middle of the season stretch. When a good team like Tehachapi begins to make mental mistakes and let the yellow laundry fall from the field zebra’s (referees), it could mean a loss down the road, and even a seeding.
A lot of people say that pre-season games don’t matter, only league games matter when it comes time for playoff seedings. Unfortunately, that’s not always true. Pre-season games, and the performance in them, can make all the difference in the path to a championship.
Take Garces for example. This past week they managed to get past a very good Liberty Patriot team, 21-20. That same Liberty Patriot team beat Golden West when they were ranked as the Yosemite Division #1. Garces also made sure they scheduled Dos Palos for a match-up, set to happen after this week.
What’s John Fanucci’s and the Rams logic? A winning preseason can pretty much write a solid script for a high playoff seeding with a tough preseason schedule like they have. Yes, they would probably have to win their league for a good ranking, but not necessarily. Impressive wins over quality schools in the pre-season can be difference makers as well.
Just ask Dos Palos.
In 2001, Dos Palos was given a #2 seed and San Joaquin Memorial a number #1 seed. The Broncos were outraged, rightly so, because they were clearly the better team that year. Everybody new it, at least, Dos Palos thought everyone did.
The seeding committee’s logic? Dos Palos was 9-1 (with a loss to Division 4 State #1 St. Bonaventure), and San Joaquin Memorial was 9-0.
A loss, a pre-season loss mind you, determined the seeding. Plain and simple. Sad…but true. It was all academic in the end however, when Dos Palos went on the road for the section championship to beat SJM 69-7. Yes…that’s right…69-7. In the Panthers defense however, they did do better in the previous year these two teams hooked up for a section championship, Dos Palos won that contest 69-14.
Ouch.
So this brings us to Tehachapi’s match up with Tulare Union. A must win game? I guess they pretty much all are when you look at the games from the seeding perspective. But this game, in the backyard of the seeding committee hierarchy (the main office is in Porterville), can make all the difference in the world. They’re watching….do I hear twilight zone music?
Tulare Union is a match up that might present Tehachapi with some problems, a fact that the coaching staff is well aware of.
“Tulare Union will be tough for us, they’ll spread the ball around like Ridgecrest did, and they’re a disciplined team with a lot of speed and a big front line, so we’ll have our hands full.” said Head Coach Steve Denman.
Tulare Union is 1-2 on the year, but they have a young team. In a week one loss to Golden West 21-0, the Redskins amassed only 182 total yards, 172 coming in the first quarter. Tulare did show signs of life against Lemoore when sophomore quarterback Brad Berg connected on a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter to pull out the win, but a setback this past week against another tough offense in Mt. Whitney allowed 36 points and a scoring barrage lead by Pioneer tailback DeJaun Jones in a losing effort.
Senior 220 pound tailback Zac Diles leads the Redskins in rushing on the year, and the defense is lead by All-EYL senior captain Justin Ferrell, who should return to action after suffering a hip pointer injury two weeks ago against Lemoore.
“Last week was a real sloppy game overall, and we weren’t happy with the way we played. Too many mistakes and penalties are something we can’t do to a good team like the Redskins.” added Denman.
It may be preseason, but if the Warriors want to win, they’ll have to succeed, with an emphasis on ‘seed’.
WEEKLY WARRIOR NOTES
Ok, so last weeks game against Foothill had its negatives with Tehachapi totaling 12 penalties, but there was some positives too. An early put away against the Trojans early in the third quarter allowed a lot of Warriors see action, with AJ Barcelona scoring with 5:04 left in the third and David Lara darting for a 45 yard touchdown to amass 98 yards on 5 carries to lead all wingbacks.
“The big guys really opened it up, it was good to get some playing time in. We all just want to play hard and produce when our number is called.” said Lara.
The defense shut the door early on the Trojans, allowing only 15 yards while racking up 151 yards of offense in the first quarter alone to pull away early.
“First couple of series were good, then we kind of got flat. We didn’t really play to our potential at all.” Said Jedd Ingraham. “We had some good individual efforts, we played overall as a team not to well after the first. Mental errors are something we need to improve upon against Tulare Union and others, but a win’s a win.”
It may have not been a perfect night, but the scoring of Foothill quarterback Dan Ingle was limited in the first half to 62 yards of passing due to the steady pressure by the front line lead by Ingraham. For the game, #61 had 4 pressures, 5 tackles, and two sacks to lead all Warriors. For his poise and leadership on the defensive gridiron in week three, Ingraham has been selected as player of the week.
Jedd Ingraham
WEEKLY WARRIOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK
-Since we’re talking playoff seedings, I thought it might be good to take a round trip through the large school Sequoia Division and teams Tehachapi might face. Teams in gold are Sequoia Large School Teams with their record and their scores in week three.
Coalinga (3-0) 21, Wasco
(1-1) 16
San Joaquin Memorial 49, Washington Union (1-2)
7
Sierra (3-0) 46, Orosi
0
Selma (2-1) 40, Fowler
0
Kingsburg 39, Dinuba
(0-3) 19
Yosemite (3-0) 28,
Oakdale 23
Shafter (1-2) 23,
Exeter 11
Corcoran (1-2) 35, Granite Hills (Porterville) 27
West-Bakersfield 71, Arvin
(0-3) 0
Last year teams Hanford West, Clovis East, and Liberty have all moved up to the Yosemite Division.
