Tehachapi at Sunnyside-Fresno

Friday, November 11, 2024

Warrior quarterback Colton Michael looks for an open receiver in the playoff game against
Sunnyside High School (Fresno) last Friday night. Michael had his best passing game
of the season completing 15 of 23 passes good for 185 passing yards. The good news for
Warrior fans --- Colton is a sophomore and will be back for two
more seasons.    (Photo by Jenn Michael.)

Warriors End Season in CIF Division II Playoffs

Posted by Tom Shea, The Tehachapi News, on November 11, 2024.

Mountain Football put up a valiant effort against a very tough opponent in the first round of the CIF Central Section
Division II playoffs, but in the end, Fresno-Sunnyside was able to defeat the Warriors.

Sunnyside (7-4) jumped out to three-touchdown lead in the second quarter and held on for the eventual win. It was the
second time in three years that Tehachapi (8-3) fell to the Wildcats in the playoffs. Ironically, the loss in
2022 was by the same score, 33-21.

The Warrior defense limited the very talented Sunnyside offense the best they could, but the Wildcats’ senior quarterback
was able to record four touchdowns and 179 yards passing. Their top running back also added in 200 yards
rushing and a five-yard score.

In retrospect, Tehachapi’s Colton Michael actually out-gunned his quarterback counterpart in yards, recording 189 yards
and two touchdown strikes. The leader in receiving yards was also a Tehachapi receiver, Anthony Cerbantez,
who had 93 yards on four receptions, including a 35-yard touchdown. Cerbantez had a strong night overall, recording 162 all-purpose yards.

Other standouts on offense included Carter Kolesar with a touchdown reception, Cyler Hoofard with five receptions for 40 yards
and Wade Brooks with 49 yards rushing and a second-quarter touchdown run.

Defensively, Adrian Pina had a team-high 12 tackles and fumble caused. Also contributing on defense were Jacob Meza (10 tackles, four hurries),
Mason Rothermel (eight tackles, sack), Andrew Aguirre (eight tackles), Hayden Michael (six tackles),
Leo Gonzalez (five tackles, four hurries), Tylere Lombardi (five tackles), Kenny Pitt (five tackles), Cerbantez (four tackles,
fumble caused, fumble recovery) and Brooks (four tackles).

Pitt and Rothermel also both had extra point attempt blocks on special teams.

During the playoffs, the Warriors promoted Austin Rolow, Oliver Masferrer, Peyton Popejoy, Kody Lantz, Uzziel Navarrete
and Kane Harding to the varsity squad from the SYML champion junior varsity team.

Seniors from this year’s three-time SYML championship Warriors include Johnny Estrada, Carter Kolesar, Leo Gonzalez,
Kaidon Hagerty, Andrew Aguirre, Alan Castaneda, Noah Welton, Anthony Cerbantez, Ruben Sedano, Adrian Pina,
Martin Marmolejo, Aiden Nicholson, Wade Brooks, Liddon Scott, Carson Rolow, Ethan Cardenas, Gabriel Perez, Kenny Pitt,
Alex Leon, Logan Miles, Hayden Michael, Travis Mason, Evan Denning and Cyler Hoofard.

The varsity coaches this season for the Warriors were Kris Krempien, Chris Jones, Larry Root, Jason Hail, Mike Ledesma,
Rod Michael and Ryan Grimes.

Warrior Anthony Cerbantez #21 had his best game of the season against Sunnyside recording 162 all-purpose yards.
Cerbantez, who had 93 yards on four pass receptions, also scored on a 35 yard touchdown.    (Photo by Jenn Michael.)

Warriors 21 Sunnyside (Fresno) 33

Posted by The Bakersfield Californian on Nov. 9, 2024.

The Wildcats jumped out to a three-touchdown lead in the first half and held on to defeat the Warriors in the first round
of the CIF Central Section Division II playoffs.

Sunnyside (7-4) entered the playoffs with an undefeated record but had to forfeit four games during the regular season,
including the North Yosemite League title, due to using an ineligible player.

Despite the infraction, the CIF Central Section playoff selection committee still elected to give the Wildcats the no. 5 seed
and a playoff home game. The same committee also forced Tehachapi (8-3), the South Yosemite Mountain League champions,
to travel to Fresno to face the Wildcats as the brackets’ no.12 seed.

Talented senior quarterback Tanner Wilson led the passing game for Sunnyside with eight completions for 179 yards and four
touchdowns. He also added 37 yards rushing.

CJ Jones was the leading receiver for Sunnyside with four receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, followed by Donta Hart
with two receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns and Malachi Barnes with two catches for 35 yards and a score.

Romulan Phetvixay also had standout night on the ground with 200 yards on 21 carries, including a five-yard rushing score.

For the Warriors, sophomore quarterback Colton Michael accumulated more passing yards than Wilson by games’ end with 189 yards
on 15 completions, recording two touchdowns.

Anthony Cerbantez had 162 all-purpose yards, which included four receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. Cyler Hoofard
added five receptions for 40 yards and Carter Kolesar had a touchdown reception.

Wade Brooks led the Warriors ground game with 49 yards rushing, which included a 12-yard score in the second quarter.

Defensively, Adrian Pina led the team with 12 tackles and a fumble caused. Other leaders were Jacob Meza with 10 tackles
and four quarterback hurries, Mason Rothermel with eight tackles, a sack and extra point bock and Andrew Aguirre
with eight tackles. Kenny Pitt also recorded an extra point block and Cerbantez had a fumble recovery.

The last two seasons, Tehachapi has amassed an overall record of 19-4 and were participants in three playoff games.
None of the post-season contests were at home.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Sunnyside	0	21	6	6	33
Tehachapi	0	7	0	14	21

Tehachapi vs Sunnyside High Statistics

	THS	SHS
First Downs
Rushes-Yards	31-120
Passing Yards	185
Comp-Att-Int	15-23-0
Total Yards	305
Punts
Penalties

Individual Statistics:

RUSHING — Tehachapi: King 1-(-3), Hagerty 4-25, Aguirre 3-8, Michael 7-13, Cerbantez 1-6, A. Pina 3-13, R. Pina 2-9, Brooks 10-49.
Sunnyside High: N/A.

PASSING — Tehachapi: Michael 15-23-0-185. Sunnyside High: Tanner Wilson 8-12-0-179 .

RECEIVING- Tehachapi: Hoofard 5-40, Haggerty 1-3, Cerbantez 4-93, A. Pina 2-2, Aguirre 1-13.
Sunnyside High: CJ Jones 4-80, Barnes 2-35, Heart 2-64.

Varsity Records: Tehachapi 8-3 Sunnyside 11-0 (7-4 including 4 forfeits)

2024 Regular Season Schedule

(Click On Individual Opponent For Year-by-Year Results)

	OPPONENT	THS	OPP	L	SERIES HISTORY
Aug 23	Burroughs (Ridgecrest)	26	14	A	Andrew Aguirre: 1 TD, 112 all-purpose yds.
Aug 30	Bakersfield Christian)	06	28	H	Carter Kolesar: 2 Field Goals, 42 & 25 yds.
Sep 5	Taft	41	00	H	Carter Kolesar: 2 Field Goals, 47 & 33 yds. (47 yds. is new school record)
Sep 13	Wasco	36	08	A	Andrew Aguirre: 1 TD, 119 all-purpose yds.
Sep 20	Bye
Sep 27	Golden West (Visalia)	21	24	H	Adrian Pina: 1 TD, 88 yds. rushing
Oct 3	East Bakersfield *	35	00	A	Leo Gonzales: 12 tackles, 2 sacks
Oct 11	North Bakersfield *	48	07	A	Cayden King: 1 TD, 147 all-purpose yds.
Oct 18	West Bakersfield *	49	07	H	Jacob Meza: 12 tackles, 1 sack
Oct 25	Golden Valley (Bakersfield)	42	07	H	Cyler Hoofard: 2 TD's, 75 yds. receiving (3 pass receptions)
Nov 1	South Bakersfield *	24	21	H	Andrew Aguirre: 3 TD's, 110 yds. rushing

* Denotes Mountain League Game

CIF Central Section Division II Valley Playoffs

	OPPONENT	THS	OPP	L	GAME HIGHLIGHT
Nov 8	Sunnyside (Fresno)	21	33	A	Anthony Cerbantez: 1 TD, 162 all-purpose yds.

BACK TO 2024 SEASON PAGE