The 2010 Warriors include 1 Kash Knudson, 2 Levi Garrett, 3 Sergio Garcia, 4 Cory Lange, 5 Ray Hosier, 6 Bobby Howell, 7 Erik Rush, 8 Cody Hall,
9 Travis Farewell, 11 Adam Bullard, 14 Brendyn Heath, 16 Sean Rabe, 17 Jesse Linch, 18 Chris Coontz, 20 Brian Castaneda, 21 Marcus Curiel,
22 Phil Rhodes, 23 Jorge Garcia, 24 Steven Cross, 25 Skyler Stephens, 27 Rodrigo Corona, 28 Brian Mathews, 30 Bobby Cooley, 31 Michael Lowder,
32 Wyatt Vance, 34 Zach Timm, 35 Ty Curry, 36 Corey Onufrak, 37 Bryan Fife, 40 Kris Kapitzke, 41 Michael Perez, 42 Casey James, 44 David Lara, 45 Ray Cross,
47 Logan Curry, 51 John Porter, 52 Joseph Blewett, 53 Brent Bernacchi, 55 Cameron King, 56 Davin Blain, 57 Cesar Meza, 59 Armando Perez,
60 Donovan Brown, 61 Jack Blewett, 62 Logan Smith, 65 John Almardeni, 66 Sam Stephens, 67 Troy Mathews, 68 Tevin Paykel, 70 Andrew Jimenez,
71 Austin Scarbrough, 72 Kiefer Fincher, 74 Zach Caudillo, 75 Niko Taliulu, 76 Joey Costa, 77 Jonathon Rudd, 78 Colt Murrow, 80 Miguel Davis,
81 Chris Counihan, 85 Blake Delwisch, and 88 Levi Kill

Warriors Win 3rd CIF Title in Four Years!
Championship Game: Tehachapi 13 San Joaquin Memorial 10

Season Review by www.thswarriors.com

The mighty Warriors of Tehachapi continued to build on their football legacy in 2010 by capturing their third CIF championship title in the last four years. Under coach Steve Denman, Tehachapi finished the season with 13 wins and just 1 loss. The Warriors went 4-1 in pre-league play, suffering their only loss to Garces; breezed through the SSL with a perfect 5-0 record; and won four straight games in the CIF playoffs, culminating with a 13-10 win over San Joaquin Memorial on the home turf of the private Catholic school.

For Tehachapi, the CIF championship was especially rewarding, as the Warriors were moved up one division in 2010 from Division III to Division II --- playing bigger public schools.

Coach Denman's infamous and proven Wing-T running game was operating on all cylinders in 2010 as an experienced offensive line created tremendous running opportunities for running backs Phil Rhodes (1,258 yards, 16 TD's), Marcus Curiel (1,112 yards, 16 TD's), and Jorge Garcia (649 yards, 11 TD's). To keep defenses honest, wide receiver Cory Lange hauled in 13 passes for 509 receiving yards, and scored 8 TD's. The Tehachapi offense generated 462 (33.0 per game) points scored during the season, the most in school history.

Defensively, Tehachapi was led by linebackers Adam Bullard with a team leading 133 tackles and Zach Timm with a team leading 14.5 sacks and 84 tackles. Speedy defensive back Michael Lowder led the team with 6 interceptions and racked up 69 tackles.

In pre-league play, the Warriors opened the season with a challenging 38-25 win over the Exeter Monarchs. In the first ever meeting between the two schools, Exeter jumped out to an 18-7 halftime lead. Perhaps as an omen of things to come, a poised Warrior team came storming back in the second half to overhwelm the Monarchs by a final 38-25 count.

In Week 2, the Warriors played host on the mountain to rival Garces in the annual Ogivlie Bowl. The Rams humiliated the hometown team with a convincing 35-6 win. Michael Lowder led the Warriors with 67 yards rushing.

Tehachapi rebounded in Week 3 with a sloppy 19-13 win over North High of Bakersfield. Both teams combined for 11 fumbles during the game. Marcus Curiel ran for 141 yards to lead the Warriors.

The Warriors rounded out the pre-league schedule by defeating Burroughs 21-14, and blanking Rosamond, 47-0. In the Burroughs contest, the Warriors broke a 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter on a 13 play, nine minute drive, capped by a Marcus Curiel 3 yard TD run. Curiel led the Warriors with 80 rushing yards against the Burros.

Tehachapi blew through the South Sequoia League (SSL) dominating all five opponents to earn their 8th SSL championship since joining the league in 1992. The Warriors shutout Shafter 43-0; oulasted Arvin 49-28; ripped Bakersfield Christian 41-16; defeated Wasco 45-14; and toppled Taft, 30-20.

The toughest league game came in the season finale at Taft as the Warriors trailed the Wildcats, 20-17, midway through the 4th quarter. But Michael Lowder had a key kickoff return to set the Warriors up for a short touchdown drive capped off by a Marcus Curiel TD run. The Warriors finished off the game in the closing minutes as QB Levi Garrett scored on a 36 yard run.

The Warriors entered the post-season San Joaquin Valley Division II playoffs as a #6 seed with a sterling 9-1 season record. Entering the playoffs for the fifteenth consecutive season, Tehachapi played host to the #11 seed West High Vikings of Bakersfield. Behind a season personal best of 227 rushing yards, Phil Rhodes scored 3 TD's, to lead the Warriors over West in an offensive shootout victory, 48-27.

In the second round, the Warriors traveled to Fresno to challenge the #3 seeded Sunnyside Wildcats. Using their ground game, Tehachapi wore down the Wildcats to preserve a 28-7 win. Rhodes ran for 106 yards; Garcia collected 94 yards; and Curiel rushed for 57 yards. Curiel scored twice on the ground while Lange caught a 70 yard TD pass from QB Howell.

The Sunnyside win set up a re-match with rival Garces in a semi-final playoff game. The Warriors had an opportunity to avenge an earlier season loss to the Rams and extend their winning streak to eleven straight games. Tehachapi used the big stage in Bakersfield as an opportunity to shock the #2 seeded Rams, jumping out to a 21-0 lead, and holding on to win the game, 34-21. Sophomore Jorge Garcia had his biggest game of the season rushing for 123 yards and 3 TD's.

Before an overflow capacity crowd on the campus of San Joaquin Memorial, the Warriors challenged the Panthers for the Central Section Division II crown. Tehachapi jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a Curiel TD run, only to see Memorial storm back with 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Warriors then began "The Drive" with 4:23 left in the game from their own 3 yard line. In a magical drive, Tehachapi marched 97 yards down the field and scored on a Phil Rhodes 4 yard dive play with 51 seconds left in the game.

The 13-10 win over the Panthers (10-4) gave Tehachapi their 11th CIF section title in school history, and their third in the last four years. The Warriors also extended their win streak to 12 straight games.

Earning All-League first team honors for Tehachapi were Phil Rhodes (RB), Marcus Curiel (FB), Cory Lange (WR), Niko Taliulu (OL), Cesar Meza (OL), Cameron King (OL, LB), Travis Farewell (TE, LB), Michael Lowder (DB), Adam Bullard (LB), Troy Mathews (DL), Zach Timm (DL) and David Lara (LB). Earning second team recognition were Levi Garrett (QB), Colt Morrow (OL), and Kash Knudson (DB). Farewell also earned a second team slot as a kicker (49 PAT's) and punter.

Earning All-Area first team recognition were Taliulu and Timm while Bullard, Lowder, and Rhodes received second team honors.

The Tehachapi Junior Varsity Braves won their third consecutive SSL championship with an 8-1-1 (5-0 SSL) record, while the Freshmen Indians had a 3-6-1 (2-2-1 SSL) record.

2010 Regular Season Schedule

(Click On Individual Opponent For Game Summary)

	OPPONENT	THS	OPP	L	GAME HIGHLIGHT
Sep 3	Exeter	38	25	A	Phil Rhodes: 2 TD's, 89 yds. rushing
Sep 10	Garces (Bakersfield)	06	35	H	Marcus Curiel: 1 TD rushing
Sep 17	North High (Bakersfield)	19	13	H	Adam Bullard: 1 TD, punt block recovery
Sep 24	Burroughs (Ridgecrest)	21	14	A	Marcus Curiel: 1 TD, 80 yds. rushing
Oct 8	Rosamond	47	00	A	Phil Rhodes: 4 TD's, 69 yds. rushing
Oct 15	Shafter *	43	00	H	Michael Lowder: 1 TD, 68 yd. kickoff return
Oct 22	Arvin *	49	28	H	Phil Rhodes: 3 TD's, 135 yds. rushing
Oct 29	Bakersfield Christian *	41	16	A	Jorge Garcia: 2 TD's, 117 yds. rushing
Nov 5	Wasco *	45	14	H	Marcus Curiel: 3 TD's, 117 yds. rushing
Nov 12	Taft *	30	20	A	Marcus Curiel: 1 TD, 97 yds. rushing

* Denotes League Game

CIF Central Section (San Joaquin Valley) Div. II Playoffs

	OPPONENT	THS	OPP	L	GAME HIGHLIGHT
Nov 19	West High (Bakersfield)	48	27	H	Phil Rhodes: 3 TD's, 227 yds. rushing
Nov 26	Sunnyside (Fresno)	28	07	A	Marcus Curiel: 2 TD's, 57 yds. rushing
Dec 3	Garces (Bakersfield)	34	21	A	Jorge Garcia: 3 TD's, 123 yds. rushing
Dec 10	San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno)	13	10	A	Phil Rhodes: 1 TD, 76 yds. rushing

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