Exciting return to Kern County gridirons
After going more than 15 months without high school football, Kern County seemingly tried to to make up for all that lost time in one night.
While there were a few blowouts in the mix, a string of thrilling finishes, comebacks, near comebacks and one-possessions games more than made up for it, as numerous contests remained in doubt until the final snap.
Though a postseason will not be played until next fall, if the first week of action is any indication, the Kern High School District will bring just as much intensity to games in March and April as it normally would in November.
Below is a list of everything that went down in week one.
BAKERSFIELD 37, CENTENNIAL 30 (OT)
Having seemingly lost all momentum at the end of regulation, the Drillers got back on track to survive a spirited Golden Hawk comeback attempt.
Pedro Trujillo scored a go-ahead touchdown from a yard out, and the BHS defense recovered from a rough fourth-quarter to close the game out in overtime.
Down 30-13 with eight minutes to go, the Golden Hawks put together a furious rally behind quarterback Levi Manning, who threw for 220 yards, rushed for 67 more and accounted for four touchdowns, three of them coming on the ground.
Centennial completed the regulation rally on the final play, forcing overtime on a 31yard Nick Helton field goal as time expired.
But after regrouping, the Drillers got the ball first and elected to pound the rock with great success in overtime, capping their opening drive off with a third-and-goal touchdown run by Trujillo off left tackle.
Forcing a fourth-and-four, the defense put the game away, getting pressure on Manning, who threw into tight coverage and had his pass broken up by Bryson Jones.
It was a thrilling way to end a satisfying return to the field for second-year BHS coach Michael Stewart, who opened the modified season with a muchneeded win.
“1-0 is always better than 0-1,” Stewart said. “So it absolutely feels great, especially knowing the hurdles all the players and all the coaches have had to deal with, it’s just good to (be) out playing real football against a real opponent.”
INDEPENDENCE 20, SOUTH 17
Evan Peaker capped a 100plus yard rushing performance with a go-ahead fourth quarter touchdown to clinch a comeback win for the Falcons.
Peaker scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half