BRAVES ROMP ON GOLDEN VALLEY TO CLINCH SSL TITLE

TEHACHAPI NEWS - The Tehachapi High School junior varsity football team finished the 2004 season with a perfect 10-0 record after decimating Golden Valley 56-13 Friday in Bakersfield.

The Braves made it look easy scoring on their first six offensive drives while rushing for 415 yards. Tehachapi scored four touchdowns in the first quarter, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth quarters.

In the game, six different Braves scored eight times beginning with Josh Mendez' four-yard touchdown on Tehachapi's first offensive drive. Tehachapi shocked the Bulldogs early on by throwing a pass on the first play from scrimmage as Levi Lantz connected with Aaron Moore to set up the Braves’ first TD.

The second drive for the Braves was capped by Gabe Bressler on a four-yard pass from quarterback Levi Lantz. Bressler added another TD in the fourth quarter as he rushed for 65 yards. "This is great," Bressler said after the game. "Last year we went 9-1, this year 10-0."

Alek Taliulu scored the Braves’ third TD on a two-yard run. The touchdown was setup by Ronnie Overturf's 28-yard run. Taliulu finished the game with 84 yards rushing on just seven carries. "We played good," Taliulu said. "We have a good defense."

Overturf then added the fourth touchdown of the first quarter on a four-yard run. Overturf finished as the Braves’ leading rusher with 107 yards, averaging 10 yards per carry.

Aaron Moore scored from the 37 for his first of two back-to-back TD's in the second quarter. Moore finished with 37 yards rushing.

In the third quarter, Brad Taylor took over the QB position and added a touchdown with a 32-yard run and finished the game with 71 yards rushing.

Along with the perfect season, Braves’ kicker Vincent Saavedra kicked eight for eight PATs and intercepted a Golden Valley pass in first-half action.

Golden Valley scored once in the second and once in the third, while rushing for 49 yards. The Bulldogs made their game in the air throwing 21 times, completing nine for 128 yards with two interceptions. Robert Gibson was credited with the second interception by the Braves.

"It was a lot of fun," Braves head coach Ryan Grimes said. "The kids surprised me. I didn't think we would be 10-0. Once we got past the preseason game, I started thinking we are good enough to play in this league though."

"I’m just happy that all this came together," Lantz said of the victory. "We had great coaches that got us through as a team," Lantz added. Lantz completed three of six passes for 48 yards.

Grimes said that he told the Braves "to not disappoint themselves. We knew we were a better team."

Seven Braves were asked to move up to the varsity level beginning next week as the Warriors prepare for CIF games.