1943-44 Warriors
League Record: 0-0 (2-4 Overall)
The 1943-44 Warriors include, top row, left to right, Darrell Stevens, Ray Castro, Jerome Warner,
bottom row, Gene Myers, Frank Barrera, and Alfred Damian.
Under first year coach Henry Kossow, the Tehachapi Warriors again played a modified schedule in 1943-44 due to the lingering affects of World War II. Tehachapi Has Challenging 1943-44 Season
Ray Castro Paces Warrior Offense
There was no formal league or valley playoffs in 1944. The Warriors had a challenging schedule though --- with only the largest
schools in the area playing high school sports. The Warriors played the Bakersfield High School Drillers twice; the Antelope Valley Antelopes
(Lancaster) twice; and the East Bakersfield Blades once.
Of historcial significance, the Tehachapi High School gymnasium burned down on February 4 --- meaning the Warriors had difficulty
practicing or hosting games after that point. The loss of the gym cancelled a game with the East High Blades scheduled for February 11 in Tehachapi.
Warrior Ray Castro, a junior standing at 6'3" playing the center position, led the Warriors in scoring with 141 points in 8 games.
Castro was one of the premier players in Kern County. In many games, he would face defenses that would play two or three
defenders against him. His lowest scoring output was a 3 point game against Bakersfield High on February 4.
Senior Darrell Stevens also scored 39 points for the season.
Click Here For
LISTING OF SIERRA CHAMPS
FROM 1930-1958
Game-by-Game Results
OPPONENT THS OPP L LEADING SCORER(S) Dec 17 US Marine Warrant Officers (Mojave) ## 52 59 A Ray Castro: 28 pts Jan 10 Antelope Valley (Lancaster) 41 22 A Ray Castro: 28 pts Jan 18 US Marine Warrant Officers (Mojave) ## 62 38 H Ray Castro: 26 pts Jan 21 Bakersfield High Drillers 27 32 H Ray Castro: 10 pts Jan 26 Antelope Valley (Lancaster) 35 29 H Ray Castro: 17 pts Jan 28 East High Blades (Bakersfield) 23 29 A Ray Castro: 17 pts Feb 4 Bakersfield High Drillers 15 42 A Darrell Stevens: 4 pts Feb 11 East High Blades (Bakersfield) 00 00 H Game cancelled Feb 18 Maricopa 21 35 A Ray Castro: 12 pts
## Exhibition Games
On Friday night, February 4, 1944, a horrific fire of unknown origins burned down most of Tehachapi High School including the gymnasium.
Lost in the blaze were pictures of graduates dating bakc to 1930; the plaques of student body achievements, and the well earned athletic trophies.
It would be several years until the Warriors would have a new gymnasium they could call home.
Until the new gym was built, the team practiced outdoors or in a gymnasium in nearby Mojave.
