INDIANS CLAIM FOOTHOLD ON SSL, DEFEAT ARVIN CUBS

TEHACHAPI NEWS - You do not want to dig too much into the importance of a game mid-way through the league season, but for all accounts and purposes, the Indians match-up with the Arvin Cubs last Thursday afternoon was for the SSL championship.

And Tehachapi (6-1; 3-0 SSL) did not disappoint, overcoming nine penalties in the contest to overtake Arvin (6-2; 2-1 SSL) to claim a firm foothold in the league title race.

“The coaches told us that this game would be for the championship coming in,” said Warrior runningback Adam Mullen. “We just wanted to keep doing what we did all season long and keep our composure.”

The momentum in the contest shifted in Tehachapi’s favor early when Kevin Ruiz intercepted a screen pass at the line of scrimmage at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter, and dragged defenders all the way to the nine yard line of Tehachapi. Josh Strauss capped the short-field position drive with a two-yard jaunt up the gut to put Tehachapi up early.  Vincent Ortiz rumbled through the middle on a two-point conversion run to put Tehachapi in the lead, 8-0.

“We were practicing against that screen all week,” said Indian Head Coach Chris Olofson. “We knew that it was something that Arvin had ran with success, so for Kevin to disrupt it and make that pick was a credit to our practice paying off in the game.”

Tehachapi’s second touchdown drive was set up off a double-tournover, when an Indian pass was intercepted deep in Arvin territory. After the Cub defender intercepted the ball, Tehachapi’s Bert Hall alertly jarred the ball loose forcing a fumble. The fumble was pounced on by Franky Rodriguez at the Arvin one-yard line to give Tehachapi a first-and-goal.

Adam Mullen would need only one play to punch in the score, and Josh Strauss added on the two-point run for a 16-8 Tehachapi advantage.

Tehachapi racked up five personal foul penalties in the game, nine penalties in total for 110 total yards overall.

Despite the laundry concern, the Indians still managed to overcome it with big plays, and none was bigger than when Tehachapi Quarterback Kurtis Knudson found Mullen open in the flat for a 73-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

The play was orchestrated beautifully by Knudson and the Indian offensive line, stretching out the defense to the right side of the field with Mullen cheating over to the opposite side. Knudson threw the ball against the grain to Mullen, who after the catch juked  three defenders and darted to the endzone for the score. During the run, Mullen also side-stepped his final would-be tackler at the Arvin five-yard line, spinning off the Cub to run in for the exclamation touchdown.

“I just saw the Arvin player out of the corner of my eye and made a move to get around him,” said Mullen. “I knew that touchdown was huge for us and probably put us up for good.”

After the touchdown, Strauss added a second two-point conversion run to put Tehachapi up 24-8.

Strauss led all rushers with 46 yards on 10 carries, followed by Franky Rodriguez with two attempts for 35 yards. Mullen had three catches for 106 yards to lead all receivers.

On defense, Mullen led the team in tackles with 10, followed by Kevin Ruiz, Garrett Coontz, Vincent Ortiz, and Josh Cannedy with five. Jacob Harrington, Dan Rakowski, Matt Salas, and Dominic Chaveria added four tackles. Mullen logged in three sacks, Ruiz and Ortiz two sacks, and Chaveria and Salas one sack to lead the backfield entourage in the game. 

“Our motto this season has been to take care of unfinished business,” added Olofson. “We want to continue our play for the final two games and finish like champions.”

Tehachapi will face off with Shafter on the road this week, who defeated Taft 12-0 last Thursday. Kickoff will be Thursday at 5pm in Shafter.