Warrior running back Marcus Curiel #21 goes for big yardage against Rosamond Friday night. Curiel had one quarter of work before leaving
the game, picking up 85 yards and scoring 2 TD's. The under manned Roadrunners, playing with a team roster of just over 20 players,
and no junior varsity team, were crushed by Tehachapi, 53-6. Photo by The Tehachapi News
Posted by thswarriors.com on October 11, 2011 SSL Ramblings:
Warriors Begin Final Season
In The South Sequoia League
It was a joyful homecoming for the Warrior faithful Friday night, as Tehachapi routed Rosamond, 53-6. The win gives Tehachapi a 4-1 non-league record heading into league play which begins this week against Shafter.
Truth of the matter is --- the Tehachapi junior varsity Braves could have defeated the Rosamond varsity. No really. Rosamond didn't have a JV team, and the Braves were without a game. That game could have made for an interesting match-up.
Last week this column was trying to figure out why the Warriors continue to play Rosamond. Recent games have not been pretty, and frankly, we're not sure how the Rosamond series is beneficial to the Warrior program? The Warriors lead the overall series, 29-5, and the last two losses to the Runners' were in 1999 (20-27) and in 1977 (3-6). Tehachapi has outscored Rosamond in the last four years, 166-20.
Well, good news, the Tehachapi High Athletic Director announced this week that the series with Rosamond is officially over! The non-league schedule next year will include Exeter, Burroughs, Liberty, West, and Arvin. Tehachapi will join the tough Southeast Yosemite League in 2012 and play games with Bakersfield area schools Garces, Foothill, Highland, North, and East.
Meet the Shafter High School Generals
The Warriors will begin their final season in the South Sequoia League (SSL) this Friday in Shafter. We're confident that coach Denman and his team want to leave the league on a high note and win a third consecutive SSL championship.
The Warriors first joined the SSL in 1992, and have won 8 titles coming into the 2011 season. For awhile, championships were rotating back and forth between Garces and Tehachapi until the Rams left the league after the 2002 season.
A constant opponent during the SSL years has been Shafter. Since 1992, Tehachapi leads the series 16-4. Shafter last won a league championship in 2000, sharing the title with Taft and the Warriors.
The QB of that 2000 championship Shafter team was Ricky Ishida. Ishida is now the head coach at Shafter High and has done reasonable well rebuilding that program. Shafter is 2-3 so far this year, with wins over Kennedy-Delano and McLane-Fresno.
The Generals have been led this season by QB Derric Barton; #3 running back Emilio Lopez; and #44 linebacker Ted Bloemhof.
2011 Tehachapi High School Homecoming Queen Carley Cass and King Justin Hedberg
during the halftime ceremonies at last Friday night’s Rosamond football game.
Around the South Sequoia League (SSL)
The SSL had a 2-1 record in Week 5 with the Warriors and Bakersfield Christian winning their games. Taft suffered a close loss to East; Wasco, Arvin, and Shafter all had a "bye" week.
It's a very interesting week in the SSL with Arvin at Taft. This game will be very close with Taft the slight favorite. High scoring Wasco will battle with Bakerfield Christian. Wasco has been averaging over 40 points per game. Wasco is the heavy favorite, but Bakersfield Christian continues to improve every week.
