Why there is optimism for Central High after loss to Liberty-Bakersfield in section final
Central High’s bid for another Central Section Division I football championship didn’t go the way the Grizzlies could have expected.
Liberty-Bakersfield came into Deran Koligan Stadium on Friday and got off to a 14-0 first-quarter lead and the Patriots never looked back en route a 42-14 victory over the Grizzlies for their first section title since 2015, according to section historian Bob Barnett.
“We didn’t make plays and they did,” Central coach Kyle Biggs said. “That’s what it came down to. I’ll put it on me. I got out-coached. Kids played hard and did everything we asked them to do and we lost.”
After falling behind 28-0 in the second quarter, the Grizzlies finally got on the scoreboard when Dayton Tafoya completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Imari Conley.
Central got the ball back with less than two minutes left in the first quarter, but Tafoya threw an interception that was returned for an 80-yard touchdown by Luke Wattenbarger for a 34-7 lead before halftime.
The Grizzlies never recovered after that and a running clock went into effect in the fourth quarter.
“I didn’t think they were going to run away with it like they did,” Biggs said. “I thought we were going to fight and get back in it. We just didn’t make any plays. That is what it came down to. We had opportunities. We didn’t make any plays and they made a ton of them.”
The Grizzlies were aiming for their fourth straight section title sans the coronavirus pandemic postponing the 2020 season.
Central and Liberty met in the 2018 section championship, won by the Grizzlies 58-34 to claim back-to-back titles.
Biggs said the loss is a good valuable experience for his returning players for next season, including Tafoya.
“Use this as motivation and we’ve got to be better,” he said. “That is all it comes down to and just be better. Our quarterback is coming back and that’s a good sign. That’s the first time we had (a returning quarterback) since Trent (Tompkins).
“This will be motivation and hopefully our guys realize and you can’t show up and win championships all the time. Its going to take hard work and a lot of dedication.”
This story was originally published November 26, 2021 at 10:53 PM.
