IN DEFENSE OF A TITLE        WARRIORS PREPPING FOR UPCOMING SEASON WITH SPRING BALL
Posted 06-05-04

Head Warrior: Team Co-Captain Sean Finley (center) runs through a drill during practice

If any player, fan, or parent has the opportunity to talk to a former Warrior football player of the class of 1995, I would recommend it whole heartedly.

Why?

That was the last Tehachapi football season after a CIF championship year, and as many people know, the only thing harder than getting to the top is staying there, something the 2004 Warriors will have to experience coming into this season.

“We’ve had a lot of returning guys that have done real well and showed a lot of leadership, and that’s huge coming into any season,” said Warrior Head Coach Steve Denman. “So far we have a good start, but we know that history-wise you can’t ever get overconfident about your chances.”

Early on in the ’94 year, many people predicted a slam dunk championship for the Warriors.  I mean, they had Kurt Liebengood coming back, All-Area lineman Mike Williams, second year QB Brandon Parks, good receiving hands in Scott Owens, and first-team SSL defensive back Steve Rankin.  A pretty solid formula for success if you ask me.

I mean, can you imagine?  The elderly Warrior fans in the barber shops were probably sitting back in their easy chairs knowing that the Warriors had a playoff berth and SSL title all-but locked up for the second consecutive year.

Of course, as the Warriors found out, a lot can happen between August-September to late November.

Fast-forward to November 12 in 1994, an away date with the Garces Rams.  Now, with both teams sitting at 3-0 in the SSL, the game…on paper…was for the SSL title, but no one…not even the news media in Bakersfield, was giving the Rams a chance in this contest.

In fact, Tony Lacava, now Bakersfield Californian Sports editor and then prep-beat writer, went against his Garces ties and went for the realistic choice in his Friday picks, having the Warriors winning the contest in a close game over the parochial school.

After the dust settled Friday night and the Saturday morning paper was printed, the biggest small-school upset of the year became a reality when Matt Pearl recorded the winning boot, blasting a 45-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half.  Now mind you, this just wasn’t any field goal.  It ricocheted off the goal post and literally trickled in.  By far, the most amazing field goal I've seen in person...probably yours too if you were at that game.  That’s the difference in your ball game, sports fans.

Halftime: Garces 10, Tehachapi 0.

Liebengood would come out of the second half with a 17-yard score to add to 147 yards overall, but that would be the last score for both teams in the entire game, with the Rams ecstatic in their monumental upset over their league counterparts.  Reeling from the loss, the Warriors would go on to miss the sequoia playoffs all-together one week later, suffering a 28-20 decision to a second-year football program (and seniorless) Centennial team.

Like I said before, if you have the opportunity to talk to a former Warrior football player of the class of 1995, I would recommend it whole heartedly.  In this case, we all can learn a hard lesson from our history.

On the flip-side, albeit early on, Tehachapi does have strength in numbers on their side heading into this year, especially on defense with returning starters Sean Finley, Mike Faulkner, and Dan Haycock looking to stuff any running attack and sack all QB’s in their wake, along with a strong 9-1 (5-0 SSL) upcoming Braves’ class to work with.

“We have a lot of strong juniors that I think will step up and help us,” said three-year Warrior Linebacker Mike Faulkner, “But each of the seniors will still have to step up their game and play strong.”

On offense, the Warriors will be young, with Tyler Hansen taking snaps early on in Warrior practice and EJ Muro and Robert Wright getting a lot of looks.  But the front line for Tehachapi will be a strength, with front walls Chris Dockery, Jose Pulido, Ralph Curiel, Trenton Pera, Tommy O’Brien, Mike Papac, and others providing an early indication of front-line potential dominance.

Along with returnees, there are a few players turning heads who are new to the program, with the emergence of Nelson Gotschalk and Fernando Garcin, who look to contribute in the defensive secondary next fall.  Garcin, a senior, could also join returning Warrior Marcus Coates in the receiving department, with both players hauling in some nice bombs early in spring ball workouts.

All in all, things are looking on the up-and-up for the Warriors three months before kick-off, but then again, be cognoscente that the same mindset was at the forefront for the 1994 Warriors.

There are many teams out there, namely Burroughs, Stockdale, Yosemite, and Washington Union, foaming at the mouth to take a second crack at the 2003 CIF champions…but it should make the title defense a fun ride the second time around.

“Everybody’s going to be looking at us to have a run like we did last year, and we’re just going to have to take it one game at a time,” said team Co-Captain Sean Finley.  “Last year we had a chance early on to grow and hopefully we can use that this season to have an even stronger run."

"We want to have fun, and in order to do that, we got to win"

I guess that pretty much says it.

First year Warrior QB Tyler Hansen (far right) throws a pass downfield while Dan Haycock (far left) and Coach Bill Carll (off-center) look on.

Head Coach Steve Denman (center) goes over the last assignment with Sean Finley (far right) as second-year Warrior Marcus Coates (far left) returns back to the huddle.

Head Coach Steve Denman delivers the final day's message as a weary Warrior group take a knee.

	Just in case you haven’t heard, long-time athletic director Grant Snyder, father of Warrior assistant coach Pat Snyder, is hanging it up after many years with Tehachapi in the association staff and teaching ranks.  Grant was a prominent figure in the men’s and women’s track team over the years, ending his final stretch of his career as the athletic director, helping the Warriors in the “small things” in the many sports that Tehachapi participates in through the CIF.  There were many occasions where Grant would be the first one to come to an athletic event and the last one to leave, coordinating some of the unnoticed tasks... making sure that the snack bar was prepared, rolling out and putting up mats for wrestling, placing hurdles for track, picking up trash in the bleachers, coordinating with guest schools to make sure that the facilities met their needs during Warrior home games, and countless other tasks….all with humility and selflessness.  Thank you Grant for making Tehachapi sports one of the best in the Valley these many years!
	A big thanks goes out to 38-year veteran coach and teacher Harry Jasper, who ended his final year at Tehachapi High School since his arrival in 1966.  Jasper was a consistent figure for Indian and Brave football for many years during his tenure at Tehachapi, with also having the distinction of the longest active tennis head coach in the south valley with 38 seasons.  Jasper’s presence on the court will be missed, and his success in helping Tehachapi to Desert Inyo League (DIL) championships will be remembered…thanks coach!
	Congratulations to Warrior Baseball on a strong run in the playoffs and a solid season overall, finishing the year with a 17-10 (11-4 SSL) record.  Tehachapi was able to win 10 consecutive league contests in a row, securing a second-place SSL mark after starting the year 1-4 in league.  Taft, the SSL champion, lost the Sequoia Small-School championship to Garces to close out a strong year for the sequoia league’s southern teams.
	Some of you may have seen the article in the paper on Marvin Sprayberry (class of ’97) who was killed in Iraq.  If you haven’t, you can check it out by clicking here.  Marvin did not participate in any sports while he was in high school, but he will be remembered as a very energetic individual that often was the focal point of many of his classmates.  He had a personality that drew the interest of a great many people and his loss will be missed.  Sgt. Marvin Sprayberry III…an American Hero and a True Warrior…

	The final football schedule is set for Tehachapi, with, in order starting on September 10th, Burroughs (away), Paraclete (home), Foothill (away), Stockdale (home), Garces (away), Wasco (home), Taft (away), Arvin (home), Shafter (home), Golden Valley (away).
	The Golden State Wing-T camp is set for June 18th – 20th at the Benz TYF fields.  If you would like to assist with the event or would like more information, you can contact Tehachapi Booster Club President Gary Warner at 822-5686.  For a story and pictures on the camp, please click here.