1995 Warriors
Season Review by Tom Shea, thswarriors.com Warriors Finish Season With 3-7 Log
First Losing Record Since 1984
The 1995 Warriors suffered their first losing season since 1984, finishing 3-7 overall (2-3 SSL). However, most of the season was played with a multitude of underclassmen talent at the skilled positions, making the ’95 campaign, for all accounts and purposes, a rebuilding year for Tehachapi.
However, the Warriors put the re-building theme on hold in week one, when the new-start program Ridgeview Wolfpack opened up their inagural game against the Warriors on the Mountain. Junior Quarterback Kris Campbell completed two passes for 44 yards and a score to junior Pat Kelloway. Junior Anthony Gonzalez and Senior Edwin Steele would also have solid performances, chipping in with 113 yards a-piece in the ground game.
As impressive as the week one win had been, a roadblock faced the Warriors seven days later against Highland. Tehachapi would find themselves down just 14-6 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Ross Marchbanks secured the win for the visiting Scots with his second touchdown of the game in the final period. More important than the loss however was the knee injury to Anthony Gonzalez, who was lost for the season on the first play of the second half. Gonzalez would finish the game with 69 yards and the Warriors only score. Edwin Steele was Tehachapi’s leading rusher in the game, logging in 84 yards on 13 carries.
Against Rosamond in week three, Tehachapi would log their second victory of the season, opening up a 19-0 lead and cruising for the victory. The Roadrunners, Jamal Day, who had 136 yards on 18 carries, gave the Warriors defense fits for the second straight year. Steele led Tehachapi with 80 yards on the ground and a score, while sophomore Eddy Brown scored his second varsity touchdown of the year with a 52-yard punt return in the third quarter.
The Warriors would loose a nail-biter in week four behind Edwin Steele’s 90 yards catching and 58 yards on the ground against Burroughs High School, and a heartbreaking loss the following week to Arvin, where a 99-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Frank Rodriguez was called back on a clipping penalty. Campbell would finish the Arvin game with five completions for 79 yards, while Steele picked up 60 yards on 14 carries and a score.
The next two contests would not be memorable for Tehachapi, with two setbacks to the Highland (Palmdale) Bulldogs and the Centennial Golden Hawks. Against Highland, newly brought-up (from the junior varsity Braves) running back Darin Redelsperger led the Warriors with 76 yards on twelve carries, while Edwin Steele added nine carries for 59 yards. In the second South Sequoia League game of the season (the first being Ridgeview), Kris Campbell threw his third touchdown pass of the season to junior tight-end Jason Boyett for 42 yards. However, the Golden Hawk offense was too much and too often, racking up 402 total yards led by senior running back Brian Briscoe, who carried 14 times for 188 yards and four touchdowns.
After a defensive battle in a loss against Wasco, where Tehachapi gave up only 129 total yards, the Warriors secured their third and final victory of the season over Shafter, who had just come off a 36-9 victory over Ridgeview. Darin Redelsperger led Tehachapi on the ground with 22 carries for 86 yards, while Campbell completed nine of sixteen passes for 162 yards in the win.
Tehachapi would lose to SSL champion Garces in the final week of their season, but Tehachapi did see a glimpse of their future in the performance of their young players, particularly sophomore Jeff Pandolfe, who had 53 yards on nine carries. Chris Kelland would account for the Warriors only scoring in the contest, making good on a 33-yard field goal in the first half. Kris Campbell threw seven completions for 75 yards in the game, with 63 of those yards coming from junior Ryan Riddle, who helped set up Kelland’s field goal with his reception.
For the year, Tehachapi’s defense gave up 1,608 yard on the ground and 1,076 yards passing, while the offense had 1,304 yards rushing and 703 passing. Senior runningback Edwin Steele finished 19th in the county with 580 yards on 116 carries and five scores, including nine catches for 137 yards, while sophomores Eddy Brown and Darin Redelsperger combined for 91 touches for 461 yards and five touchdowns to complement Steele’s running. Kris Campbell ended his junior campaign throwing 46 completions for 703 yards and three touchdowns, with his favorite target being Jason Boyett, who had 11 receptions for 230 yards and two TD’s. In a late season surge, Ryan Riddle also had a good year at wideout, registering eight catches for 146 yards.
Earning first team ALL-SSL honors for the Warriors were Steven Davis (lineman), Frank Rodriguez (def. back), Luke Schneider (linebacker), and Eric Valenzuela (defensive end).
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| OPPONENT | THS | OPP | L | GAME HIGHLIGHT | |
| Sep 1 | Ridgeview (Bakersfield)* | 27 | 00 | H | Edwin Steele: 1 TD, 113 yds. rushing |
| Sep 8 | Highland (Bakersfield) | 06 | 29 | H | A. Gonzalez: 1 TD, 69 yds. rushing |
| Sep 15 | Rosamond | 19 | 13 | A | Edwin Steele: 1 TD, 80 yds. rushing |
| Sep 22 | Burroughs (Ridgecrest) | 13 | 15 | A | Edwin Steele: 1 TD, 148 yds. total |
| Sep 29 | Arvin | 07 | 23 | H | Edwin Steele: 1 TD, 90 yds. total |
| Oct 6 | Highland (Palmdale) | 06 | 36 | A | Kris Campbell: 1 TD, 55 yds. passing |
| Oct 20 | Centennial (Bakersfield)* | 14 | 50 | H | Kris Campbell: 1 TD, 99 yds. passing |
| Oct 27 | Wasco* | 00 | 02 | A | Edwin Steele: 44 yds. rushing |
| Nov 3 | Shafter* | 15 | 06 | A | D. Redelsperger: 1 TD, 86 yds. rushing |
| Nov 10 | Garces (Bakersfield)* | 03 | 26 | H | Chris Kelland: 33 yd. FG |
* Denotes League Game
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