LATE 2nd QUARTER SCALPS THE REDSKINS
Posted 9-29-02
Everyone knew that the penalties racked up against Foothill would make practice a little harder this week for Tehachapi, but the cleansing for past-mistakes translated into hard work paying off in a rout this past Friday.
With high expectations all around the valley for a Warrior victory, Tehachapi answered the call in stunning fashion by pummeling Tulare Union in a first-ever match up between the schools, 44-14.
Greg Sanchez got the ball rolling early in the first when he took a quarterback keeper in the endzone for the early lead on an eight play drive with 5:43 left in the first quarter. After that scoring drive, the Redskins and Warriors exchanged possessions until a big play in the beginning of the second quarter gave Tehachapi a key turnover and another scoring opportunity.
Tulare Union was threatening to score a field goal on fourth down at the Tehachapi five-yard line when Willie Greenan dived towards the ball for the block and Phillip Altieri recovered to give the Warriors the ball at their own 16.
“We knew that we wanted to put the game away as early as we could, but up until that play neither team really had the momentum,” said Greenan. “We were in the lead, but we definitely wanted to pad the score a little more so we could put it away.”
After the block, the Warriors mounted a punishing seven minute drive capped off with a Tanner Hutchinson one-yard touchdown with 2:26 to go before the half. After a punt on Tulare Union’s next possession, Hutchinson struck again with a 40-yard dash off the left side of the line for the 21-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, John Sullivan executed a perfect onside kick to give Tehachapi possession at the Redskin 45-yard line, and with less than 10 seconds to go before halftime, Greenan connected on the first touchdown reception of the season for Tehachapi on a 40-yard waggle-fade from Sanchez.
“We were just trying something creative, seeing if we could get something before the half. The corner bit on the fake and it was just wide open. Anyone could have caught that pass and ran it in for a touchdown,” Greenan said.
In the second half, Greenan scored his second touchdown on special teams when he scooped up an onside kick attempt by Tulare Union and darted for paydirt. For the night, Greenan finished with 48 yards on punt returns, a 42.6 punt yard average, a strip, and two touchdowns.
“On the onside try, I saw their players lined up on the right and I was thinking that we could just take it in. I just snuck up on the ball and got lucky and went in for six,” added Grennan.
On defense, the Warriors came up big in the second half only allowing 127 yards including registering a safety early in the third quarter to put the game away and dash any hopes for a Redskin comeback.
“We had a tough week of practice and came into this game with our heads on straight. We limited the penalties, and we improved a lot as a team this week,” Warrior Josh Christy said. “We think we had the tempo going for us in our favor and we just played intense ball.”
For the night, Christy dominated at his position with 10 tackles, two sacks, and two pressures. Along with the big plays of Willie Greenan, both players have been selected as players of the week. Other players that turned in outstanding were Andy Grantham with five tackles, a sack, a pressure, and an extra point block, Hutchinson with 184 yards in the first half on the ground and two scores, Jeremy Clark with 9.0 yard per carry average and a score in the fourth quarter, Mike Faulkner with seven tackles, Nick Booker with five tackles and a pressure, Alfredo Yttesen with two tackles, two pass deflections, a sack, and a pressure, and John Sullivan with 6-6 in extra point attempts and a perfectly executed onside kick.
Willie Greenan & Josh Christy
WEEKLY WARRIOR PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
WEEKLY WARRIOR NOTES
--- Although Delano hasn’t had too many successful outings this year, probably one of the major reasons they have a 1-3 record are the opponents they have scheduled. Facing a virtually unknown opponent up north in Lemoore the first week, and then having to face a revamped Hanford West and potent Dos Palos squad the next two weeks are by no means easy tasks. However, they were able to rebound this past week against Highland with a consistent game of 190 yards on the ground and 113 through the air for the shutout and the first win of the season against the Scots.
--- As far as the players themselves, the Tigers have been able to put up some decent statistics lead by their elusive quarterback A.J. Gonzalez, who has completed 13 passes for 262 yards with two touchdowns through the air and three scores on the ground. Complementing Gonzalez is a trio of backs that have produced when called the first four games. In three games, tailback Ammaul Hunt has carried 31 times for 196 yards and four touchdowns, while Angel Villalobos has 35 caries for 218 yards. Leading the group with a breakout game last week against Highland is Matthew Aquino, who tallied in 118 yards on 18 carries against the Scots, and bringing his total up to 44 carries and 246 yards on the year.
--- Probably the biggest challenge for the Warriors will be determining who will get the ball when the Tigers go on offense since there is really no one player to key on, but if Tehachapi carries out their assignments on both sides of the football and carry over the intensity from homecoming they should do well. This game will be important with the South Sequoia League schedule coming up, with the road to a championship having a good first test in Wasco.
--- A ripple in the Large School Playoffs took another shocking twist when Shafter upended Washington Union on the road this past Friday 23-12, with General Tailback Jeff Watkins sealing the win on the ground with 106 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers were a favorite by many to take the Large School crown this year, but after beating Caruthers the first week, they have been outscored 114-45 against Kingsburg, San Joaquin Memorial, and the Generals to plummet to 1-3. Here’s a look on how the large school and South Sequoia League opponents did:
“*Shafter (3-1) 23, *Washington Union
(1-3) 12
“*Wasco (2-1) 34, Lindsay (1-3) 7
“Taft (3-1) 34, Porterville (2-2) 7
“Garces (3-0), bye
Ridgeview (2-2) 0, “*Arvin (0-4) 0
*Yosemite (4-0) 28, Kerman (3-1) 25
*Sierra (4-0) 23, Fresno (0-4), 13
*Selma (3-1) 37, *Dinuba (0-4) 16
“ - League Opponent
* - Potential Large School Playoff Opponent
