Tehachapi at Taft Wildcats
Friday, October 22, 2004
KERR, TAFT EXACT REVENGE
ON TEHACHAPI, 20-12
TAFT – Sweet Revenge. That’s what Taft High attained with it’s 20-12 south sequoia league victory over visiting Tehachapi Friday night.
The Wildcats (6-1, 2-0 SSL) outscored Tehachapi 20-0 in the second half of their come-from-behind win. Last year Tehachapi overcame an 18-0 deficit to win 23-18.
“They came back on us last year,” said Taft senior linebacker Chase Blackwood. “It was our turn.”
At first, Blackwood was at a loss for words after the game. He was ecstatic over the victory. How special was the Wildcats win over Tehachapi?
Well, Taft coach Steve Sprague was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct because he ran on the field in celebration after his running back Daniel Kerr score on a 1-yard run that gave the Wildcats a 13-12 lead.
“I’ll take it,” Sprague said of the penalty. “I probably shouldn’t say that, but I was just too excited. It was a big win.”
Sprague said the Wildcats did not make adjustments in the second half, they just increased their intensity. At times, they were a bit too charged up. Taft had seven penalties that were either for personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct.
Two of the penalties aided Tehachapi (3-4, 1-1 SSL) on its attempt to score toward the end of the fourth quarter.
With 3:10 remaining, Tehachapi Junior EJ Muro caught a 32-yard pass from fellow receiver David Gonzales on a third and 12 situation. That put the Warriors at midfield. Two plays later, Warriors runningback Sean Finley, who was in his first game back since missing two with a shoulder injury, was hit out of bounds. That resulted in a personal foul call.
After a second unsportsmanlike conduct by Taft, the Warriors were at the Taft 8 with 2:14 left. However, on third down, Tyler Beath intercepted a pass and returned it 77 yards to secure the victory.
“It was a tale of two halves,” said Sprague, who will turn 50 on Monday. “They just drilled us in the first half. I was super happy that we came back. I guess you could say this was my birthday present.”
After the Wildcats went up 13-12, Blackwood sacked the quarterback and jarred the ball loose. Drake House recovered the fumble at the Tehachapi 12 yard line but there was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Wildcats.
Regardless, Tat went on to score, as Scott Cooper capped the 33-yard drive with a 1-yard run. All 33 yards came on the ground.
The Wildcats went down 12-0 at the half because of two errors that came on punt attempts in the first half. Both times the Wildcats suffered because of a bad snap and the Warriors tackled the Taft punter, Beath, at the Wildcat 5.
Quarterback Jameson Freymond helped Tehachapi convert the first time, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Barboa on third down with four minutes left in the first quarter.
With eight minutes left before half-time, Tehachapi started at the Taft 5 because of the punt-attempt error. Finley ran for four yards, setting up teammate Mike Faulkner for his 1-yard plunge and the 12-0 lead.
Overall, the Wildcats defense held the Warriors to 133 total yards.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Tehachapi | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Taft | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
The Scoring:
1st Quarter:
Teh – Barboa 5 yard pass from Freymond (kick failed)
2nd Quarter:
Teh – Faulkner 1 run (run failed)
3rd Quarter:
Taft – Kerr 5 run (Kronfeldt kick)
4th Quarter:
Taft – Kerr 1 run (run failed)
Taft – Cooper 1 run (Kronfeldt kick)
| THS | Taft | |
| First Downs | 00 | 00 |
| Rushes-Yards | 44-85 | 45-167 |
| Passing Yards | 48 | 34 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 3-8-3 | 4-12-1 |
| Total Yards | 133 | 201 |
| Punts | 0-00.0 | 0-00.0 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Penalties | 0-00 | 0-00 |
Individual Statistics
Rushing – Tehachapi, Finley 23-52, Schlais 8-17, Faulkner 5-3, Gracian 2-8, Frymond 4-4, Haycock 1-2, Helfrich 1-(-1);
Taft, Estill 15-60, Kerr 13-37, Twisselman 10-32, Cooper 4-15, Beath 2-5, House 1-18
Passing – Tehachapi, Freymond 2-6-2 16, Gonzales 1-1-0, Hansen 0-1-1; Taft, Twisselman 4-11-0 34, Cooper 0-1-1
Receiving – Tehachapi, Muro 2-43, Barboa 1-5; Taft Bailey 2-27, Carter 1-6, Kerr 1-1
Varsity -- Taft 2-0 SSL (6-1 overall); Tehachapi 1-1 SSL (3-4 overall)
JV -- Tehachapi 42, Taft 6.
Frosh -- Tehachapi 41, Taft 6.
Other October 22 SSL Scores:
Shafter 28, Golden Valley 14
Arvin 24, Wasco 7