Tehachapi High School senior Alec Taliulu, #44, saw plenty of action Friday in the Terrio Edge Blitz Bowl played in Bakersfield at the Rabobank Arena. Above, Taliulu makes a block during a kickoff of the Senior All-Star game that featured teams from Kern County high schools. Taliulu and THS quarterback Ehren Ochsenrider represented Tehachapi on the East squad. Photo by Michael Duffy, The Tehachapi News
Posted by Tom Shea, The Tehachapi News on May 5, 2008 THS Football Competes in Arena Bowl VI
The East has finally struck back. The East-Kern County All-Stars, that is. After the first Arena Bowl game was played back in 2002 with an East inaugural victory, West has surged to win five straight contests.
But the winning streak has officially come to an end, with a new champion being crowned in East taking back the bragging rights in Kern County with a 61-33 win.
Both teams comprise of all-senior players, with the East squad consists of talent from Bakersfield, Foothill, Garces, Golden Valley, Tehachapi, Liberty, North, East, Arvin, and Highland, while the West contains athletes from Stockdale, Centennial, West, Bakersfield Christian, Taft, Shafter, Frasier Mountain, Lighthouse Christian, Ridgeview, and McFarland.
The East was led by five tackles from All-Area and All-SSL linebacker Alek Taliulu in front of more than 5,200 crazed football fans at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
“The game was a lot of fun, it was a great way to go out,” said Taliulu.
As for Ochsenrider, the talented Tehachapi quarterback was given the pigskin in the final minutes of the first half, connecting on one of three passes before intermission.
Both players were major cogs in the Warriors 12-1 CIF championship season in 2007, with Taliulu leading Tehachapi with 131 tackles and Ochsenrider finishing with 48 completions, 816 yards, and 12 touchdowns in his final year.
Taliulu and Ochsenrider both plan on playing football in college, with Taliulu narrowing his choices down to Nevada-Reno, Northern Arizona, and San Jose State, and Ochsenrider set to attend Allen Hancock. Both players join former Tehachapi alumni Bob DiRado and Matt Whitlock in 2003, Tanner Hutchinson and Tyler McCann in 2004, Mike Faulkner and Trenton Pera in 2005, Ralph Curiel and Mike Papac in 2006, and Louis James and AJ Meza in 2007 as participants in the Bakersfield Arena All-Star game.