TAFT VICTORY YES...SEASON OVER...NO!
Posted 10-20-02
Well, this loss sure did catch everyone by surprise.
Of course, if there is one thing that Taft loves to do to it’s opponents, it is definitely to catch them off guard.
For the past couple of years, it has never been easy to win against the Wildcats on the road. Take the year that Tehachapi won league outright and went to the CIF Championship against Dos Palos in 1998….that year against the then-struggling ‘Cats they were beaten only 28-0. Take the year that Tehachapi was a tri-champion (thanks to Taft) and went to the CIF Championship in Tollhouse against Sierra…the Warriors lost 35-34, prompting the coaching staff to bring up then-sophomore Johnny Sullivan two weeks later.
Then…there was this year. Can we sense a rivalry developing?
“They really took it to us. They executed well when they had the ball and held us in check for most of the night,” said Head Coach Steve Denman.
But all in all, you have to give credit to Taft. They did exactly what they needed to do against the Warrior defense, protect Quarterback Brandon Carlton in the pocket and utilize the size and speed of their best player, #84, Teddy Patterson. They won the game, so the best thing to do is just forget about it and move on.
Move on to what, you say?
Now, don’t get trapped into letting the words ‘It’s over…we lost…that’s it….game over…season over’ enter the confines of your cranium.
This championship race, believe it or not, still depends on Tehachapi. If a win occurs over this week’s opponent in Arvin, and Tehachapi comes back to win another one against Shafter, do you know what that makes the matchup against Garces the final week of the regular season?
That’s right folks…a bid for an SSL title. Now mind you, if Garces still wins the rest of their matchups leading up to the Tehachapi game, and Taft wins all of theirs, then there will be yet another tri-championship this year.
But, as Garces proved on ‘The Mountain’ last year…anything is possible. So the reality is, everyone still needs to go, fight, and WIN.
Still not believing? OK.
Let’s say your REALLY one of those pessimists…and you don’t think there is any chance in heck that Tehachapi can beat Garces. First of all, shame on you!
But second of all, lets just say for grins, that maybe you end up being right. So if you are right (and I hope you’re not) that would put Tehachapi in the playoffs against the likes of Selma , Sierra, Washington Union, Yosemite, Wasco, Dinuba, Shafter, and Arvin (if they accept the invitation). Take a look at these potential matchups, folks. Tehachapi has a serious shot at making a good run in the playoffs this year. Just this past week, Selma almost pulled off a huge upset against Yosemite, losing 24-21, Washington Union was blanked by Dos Palos 42-0, and Sierra lost to sequoia small school Kingsburg. The other teams in the division (Wasco, Shafter, and Arvin), Tehachapi will have game experience against when the playoffs hit if they are pitted to play them.
All in all, things are still looking on the up-and-up…still. So Warriors, hit and fly out there. This season isn’t over until you say it is.
WEEKLY WARRIOR NOTES
--- Despite the loss, many players turned in some outstanding numbers against the Wildcats, two of the notable performances coming from Greg Sanchez and Anthony Scott.
Sanchez looked like a true Warrior out there, connecting on 9 passes for 126 yards including a 13-yard touchdown to wideout Willie Greenan. He also seemed to be very posed with the football team, never giving up even though the score wasn’t exactly in Tehachapi’s favor. Win the chips are down and you still produce, that is still an important part of the formula to a championship.
On the other side of the football, Anthony Scott had the daunting task of trying to cover Aaron Harlan, and in certain formations, Teddy Patterson. Not exactly what I would call easy. Through it all, Scott still played outstanding football by registering twelve total tackles including five in the first quarter alone.
For both players accomplishments in Taft, they have both been selected as players of the week.
Anthony Scott (#56) and Greg Sanchez
(#10)
WEEKLY WARRIOR PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Other players that did well included Tanner Hutchinson with 157 yards on 21 carries, Jed Ingraham with 10 tackles and two pressures, Josh Christy with eight tackles and a pressure on defense and two catches for 34 yards, Andy Grantham with five tackles and three pressures, Mike Faulkner with five tackles, and Bob DiRado with thee tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception that was called back, and Willie Greenan with 4 catches for 62 yards, two tackles, and a pass deflection.
--- What would a weekly warrior be without a look at what the Warriors are facing, huh? Well, the Arvin Bears have taken a lot of knocks this year, but they have gotten progressively better. Their first touchdown of the year came against East, when Danny Flores scored in the fourth quarter to cap off his 72 yard rushing night. Against Shafter two weeks ago, Arvin was actually up 13-0 when David Manriquez and Cesar Benavides hooked up for an 86 yard touchdown pass and Raul Corona ran 63 yards for another score. In that game against the Generals, Benavides finished with a whopping 187 yards on seven catches, so watch out for him this week.
--- As mentioned before, the playoff race seems to be pretty promising with no true standout team shuffling their way to the front of the deck. But if you had to pick one, it would be Yosemite. Garces again looked good in their win over Shafter.
*Garces (6-0) 35, ^*Shafter (4-3) 9
*^Wasco (4-2) 39, ^*Arvin (0-6-1) 6
Dos Palos (4-3) 42, ^Washington Union (2-5) 0
Kingsburg (4-3) 25, ^Sierra (5-2) 18
^Yosemite (7-0) 24, ^Selma (4-3) 21
Lindsay (4-3) 21, ^Dinuba 1-6) 7
*- League Opponent
^- Potential Playoff Opponent
