TEHACHAPI NEWS - Just when you thought that the Tehachapi freshman football team was at their peak, the tenacious Indians keep climbing.

After an 0-4 start to the season, Mountain Football has been on a mission terrorizing the South Sequoia League, with their latest victim the previously league-undefeated Arvin Bears in a 21-6 victory.

The game onset was a defensive slugfest for both teams, with Tehachapi forced to give up their first two possessions on turnover on downs after field position deep in Bear territory.

Defensively, the Indians were dominant at the line of scrimmage, neutralizing the running threat of Arvin in two fumble recoveries and a turnover on downs on the Bear’s first three possessions.

The game tide turned in Tehachapi’s favor when a fumble recovery by Dustin Brown late in the first quarter helped the Indians take possession in the red-zone for a third-straight trip, this time on the Arvin 11-yard line.

Facing a fourth and goal at the five, Tehachapi quarterback Levi Garrett rolled out to find an open Tyler Holstrom, who dove for the goal line to help the Indian’s draw first blood on the scoreboard, 6-0.

Arvin answered the score late in the third quarter on a fourth and 10 31-yard touchdown reception, but Tehachapi blocked the extra point to keep the score knotted at 6-6.

The Indians, who have been primarily a running team all year against their opposition, showed their versatility in the fourth quarter when a go-ahead touchdown reception by Phil Rhodes all but iced the game.  The score was set up by a Holstrom fourth and one up-the-gut rumble to the Arvin 12-yard line, with Garrett finding Rhodes two plays later for the touchdown on a 10-yard pass completion.

Trevon Harris ran in the two point conversion to put Tehachapi up 14-6 and later added on an exclamation score with just over three minutes remaining in the contest on a 24-yard counter run.

Dallas Scaggs added on the PAT for the final 21-6 game count. 

Tyler Holstrom led the Indian offense with 41 yards on 11 carries, followed by Michael Lowder with 29 yards rushing Trevon Harris 26 yards on the ground. Levi Garrett shined in the passing game, going 6-9 for 65 yards and two touchdowns, with his primary target Trevon Harris with three completions for 47 yards.

On defense, Tehachapi (3-0 SSL) flexed their muscle all game long, with Dustin Brown finishing with nine tackles, Gabe Goodwin eight tackles and three sacks, and Trevon Harris, Kash Knudson, Cameron King, Tanner Etherton, Travis Farewell , Brandon Brown, Michael Lowder, Phil Rhodes, Colt Murrow, Zach Timm, and Andres Meza all finishing with multiple tackle nights.