With a strong underclassmen contingent coming up to bolster the Warrior running game, Tehachapi hopes to find the endzone early and often when the fall season commences.

“We’ve liked what we’ve seen so far, it’s been a productive spring,” said head coach Steve Denman. “We have a lot of good kids, this year will have a lot of talent in the skilled positions but it will be interesting to see how things go on the line as we go. We see (Adam) Mullen and (Josh) Strauss and Franky (Rodriguez) running and you see kids like them that can make a big contribution. There’s a lot of speed on the field, guys that can run.”

Tehachapi will be led by last-year sophomore Josh Strauss, who had 641 yards last season and 10 touchdowns, second in both marks to departing senior Gabe Bressler. Junior varsity standout Adam Mullen should also get a lot of touches next season, after posting 30 touchdowns and 1,608 yards overall in an 8-2 (4-1 SSL) season with the Braves. Adding to the mix will be sophomore Franky Rodriguez, who broke a 26-year old Mountain Football record last season with the longest run from the line of scrimmage in a 99-yard run against Wasco.

“It’s early right now so you don’t want to be quick to put guys in places, but the talent is there,” Denman said. “If the players work hard, listen, and dedicate themselves they will see the field and will have a chance to contribute.”

The Warriors will also look to get solid play from Armando Salcido, Kelly Lorenz, and Will Clark at runningback and Leigh Stone and Josh Schulgen at wideout. Returning starting Quarterback Ehren Ochsenrider, who had 602 yards and six touchdowns last season, will also be returning along with last season  junior varsity standout Kurtis Knudson, who’s mobility has been compared by observers to Kris Haycock, Tehachapi’s quarterback during the 2003 CIF championship season.

DRILL SERGEANT - The Warriors will be deep at the quarterback position this upcoming fall. Above, returning starting QB Ehren Ochsenrider drops back for a pass in spring training. Tehachapi will also have solid depth at quarterback with upcoming junior Kurtis Knudson.

Despite the ability shown in the utility, the bulk in the trenches is a concern with many offensive and defensive lineman set to be lost to graduation.

“On the offensive line we like what we’ve seen, we have some guys that will need to step up and fill the wholes left by some of our departed seniors,” added Denman. “John King has looked pretty good and we have guys like Kevin Ruiz in there. We’ll just have to see how things go as we continue on, a lot of guys will get an opportunity to step up and contribute in a variety of positions.”

Tehachapi also will look to lean on the talented play on the line from Cameron Hood, Marcus Abarquez, Vincent Ortiz, Dominic Chavarria, and tight end Shawn Pimentel. The defensive secondary will be young but talented, with returning defensive backs Josh Schulgen, Steve Miller, and Jeff Waldram returning along with a new insurgence of junior varsity standouts JJ Balkar and Justin Hansen among its ranks.

“We hope that we have some senior leadership that steps up, we will need that this year,” Denman said. “We have some players like Louie (Olofson) that have been a good example in the weight room and we need players like that to continue that and work hard.”

Linebacker talent should also be deep this season with Joey Hack, Derek Lange, Tyler Hack, Jason Hail, Eric Harroun, Byron Herman, Garrett Coontz, and Alek Taliulu highlighting a galaxy of talented defensive stoppers. Taliulu, a first team All-SSL linebacker, had the top mark in takedowns last year with 144 total tackles, most among any player in any division in the central section.

“Right now is a critical time as far as preparation, we have a tough-go right from the very start in a pre-season schedule with Garces.” said Denman. “This is a tough time of year because our games are so far off but the harder we work now the more success we can have when those games get here.”

Tehachapi will continue their off-season workouts on June 18 at the high school weight room (Varsity 6 a.m. / Junior Varsity-Frosh 6 p.m.), with two-a-day practices set to start on July 30. The next events for the football team will be a clinic for the youth football Tomahawks on June 25 through 27, and a fundraiser pancake breakfast on July 4 at City Park starting at 7 a.m.