Montclair Keeps Alive Dubious Tradition and Falls in Tehachapi, 7-0

Montclair Prep lost it all on a frigid December night in the high desert--a game, its quarterback and sight of a season-long dream that seemed the Mounties’ birthright from the dog days of August.

In the end, it was a familiar foe that provided the rites of burial Friday night in a Division IX semifinal: Hard-nosed and hard-headed Tehachapi, which defeated the top-seeded Mounties, 7-0. Tehachapi also had disposed of Montclair Prep in the 1982 and 1985 playoffs.

One touchdown was all it took to defeat Montclair Prep (12-1), a juggernaut that had rolled up 457 points to its opponents’ meager 92. A one-yard run by Anthony Kelley in the second quarter gave Tehachapi all it needed.

The Mounties, quite simply, were shut out. There was a time this season when such thoughts were ludicrous. But on this night, it was cold, harsh reality.

“They beat us off the ball and that hasn’t happened all year,” said a placid George Giannini, the Montclair Prep coach. “We lost the football game. Other than that, I don’t know.”

What he did know, of course, was that the loss of junior quarterback Leland Sparks to a right ankle injury with 5:12 left in the second quarter proved costly. The Mounties had been running the option more frequently on this night, and the loss of Sparks effectively killed the game plan.

“That hurt them,” said Tehachapi Coach Steve Denman, whose little dynasty of a team is making a third consecutive trip to the Southern Section final. “I know if we lost a guy like that, it would kill us. It took away their option and their bootleg.”

What Giannini also knew was that the outstanding running of Kelley, who gained 145 yards in 31 carries, was the difference.

Still, the terrific Mountie duo of senior Mike Jones and junior Derek Sparks remained. But they were conspicuous nonfactors, getting hit at the line all night by the best defensive squad they have faced this year. Jones finished with 42 yards in 14 carries, with no run longer than seven yards after the first quarter. Sparks finished with 64 yards in 15 carries, with an 18-yard run on a fake punt being his highlight.

On fourth and two at the Warrior 45-yard line and just 2:50 remaining, the overflow crowd of 3,000 roared in anticipation of the game’s most telling play. It was a give to Jones, the Montclair Prep star.

He was drilled behind the line. He stumbled, then fumbled.

Tehachapi recovered. The game was over.