Warrior head coach Steve Denman, left, talks football with his top running back Keyron Scott during
summer drills held earlier this year. The Warriors resume practice August 1. Photo by The Tehachapi News.
Posted July 16, 2016 by thswarriors.com Warrior Rushing Leader Scott
Hopeful Of Early Return From Injury
Keyron Scott, the Warriors’ leading rusher whose 2015-16 season was cut short by injury, is still not quite ready to put on the pads.
After undergoing offseason surgery, Scott said he expected to be cleared to play by late September or early October, meaning he could miss the first month of the season.
“The doctors say I’m way ahead of schedule,” said Scott, whose participation in summer drills has been limited.
In addition to his prescribed rehab regimen, he has spent some time in the weight room with his teammates and on the field. Still, he insists he is more than a mere spectator.
“Instead of my teammates trying to pick me up this summer, I’m here to help pick them up,” he said.
Scott was injured in the next-to-last game of the 2015 season at home against Ridgeview on Oct. 30. He gained 171 yards rushing in the first half but sat out the entire second half.
He played in just one series of downs in the Warriors season finale at West, carrying the ball twice for 6 yards before he left the field limping — and that was it for the season. He missed the Warriors lone playoff game, a 14-8 loss to Tulare Western, and has been recuperating ever since.
The injury originally was thought to be only a deep bruise below Scott’s left knee, but it wound up requiring surgery. He’s now going through rehab at the Sequoia Medical Center in Tehachapi.
“He’s not quite ready yet,” head coach Steve Denman said. “He won’t be ready until he’s released by his doctor and therapists. It was just one of those injuries. Nobody knew the extent of it until they performed an MRI.”
Scott gained 1,351 yards on the ground for the Warriors last season and had 1,515 all purpose yards, accounting for nearly half of Tehachapi’s total offense. He scored 16 touchdowns and led the team with 96 total points, averaging 10.3 yards per carry.
A senior this season, the soft-spoken Scott hopes for a speedy return and would like to take a more active role in team leadership.
“Last year, I tried to lead by example,” Scott said. “This year, I want to be a more vocal leader.”
The Warriors begin their season at Burroughs on Friday night, Sept. 2 with Denman sitting at 295 career victories, all with Tehachapi. The Warriors play two more road games the next two weeks — at Garces and Bakersfield Christian — then open at home on Friday night, Sept. 23 against Paraclete.
The Paraclete game begins a series of four straight games at Coy Burnett Field, so Denman could reach the 300-win plateau during the homestand.
“It’s just a number, seriously,” said Denman, who will be entering his 35th season as the Warriors head coach. “I’m much more concerned with the team and preparing for the season.”
The Warriors completed their early summer workouts, including speed training, last week and now have off until Aug. 1, when workouts resume.
Scott has set a simple goal for himself early on.
“I just want to get healthy and help the rest of the team stay healthy,” he said, predicting a stellar season for the Warriors, if all goes well.
“We’ve got speed across the board,” Scott said. “Now, it just depends on how hard we’re willing to work, how dedicated we are.”
Scott’s sentiment was echoed by teammate, defensive lineman Favian Garcia, who will be a junior when the school year begins.
“I’m feeling pretty good about things right now,” he said. “The team looks good. We just have to put in the work.”
Warrior senior quarterback candidate Paul Stephens drops back to throw a pass during football drills held
earlier this year. Thw Warriors resume practice for the 2016 season beginning August 1. Photo by The Tehachapi News.
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