It didn't take very long for the Tulare Western High football team to take over the game.
After falling behind 6-0 to Monache, the Mustangs scored eight unanswered touchdowns, including five in the first half, en route to a 55-12 win on Thursday night at Bob Mathias Stadium.
Tulare Western (9-0, 4-0) reliedon a bevy of big plays in the first two quarters to find the end zone:
- On his first offensive touch, Tairyn Johnson busted through the middle of the Monache defense for a 60-yard scoring run and the Mustangs went ahead 7-6 with 6 minutes and 23 seconds to play in the first quarter
- On Tulare Western's ensuing possession, Johnson's 52-yard catch and run set upHenry Williams' 2-yard TD plunge
- After a Jordan Burrell interception, Johnson broke loose on a 34-yard TD scamper
- With a 21-6 lead, Mark Smith hauled in a 35-yard TD pass from Elijah Burrell in the second quarter
- The Mustangs culminated an outstanding first half on a 71-yard TD run by Mikey Ficher
In the first half, the Mustangs recorded three takeaways (a fumble recovery, two interceptions) and led 35-6 at halftime.
"We came out fired up," Ficher said. "We just got to work and did our jobs."
Tulare Western played well in all facets of the game against Monache.
The Mustangs compiled 400 yards of total offense (297 yards rushing, 103 yards passing) and averaged 10.8 yards per play.
Star junior running back Tairyn Johnson rushed for 113 yards and three TDs. Johnsontouched the ball only five times and averaged 33 yards per play.
Johnson scored on a 60-yard run, a 34-yard scamper and a 10-yard jaunt.
Johnson has now rushed for 1,519 yards this season.
The speedy Johnson wasn't the only Mustangs' player to stand out, though.
Sophom*ore two-way starter Mikey Ficher, a receiver and defensive back, had one of his best performances of the season.
A first-year varsity player, Ficher ran for 115 yards on just four carries.
"It felt great," Ficher said. "I was just doing my job. I have to thank my O-line for blocking for me. I have to thank my teammates for doing their jobs."
Ficher returned a punt 64 yards for a TD to hand the Mustangs a 55-6 lead in the third quarter.
Ficher also nearly had another punt return for a TD but was tackled at the Monache 3-yard line after a 55-yard return.
Ficher, who is one of the top point guards in basketball in Tulare County, is the first sophom*ore under Mustangs' head coach Ryan Rocha to start on both offense and defense.
"He's a special player," Rocha said of Ficher. "I've coached football for over 11 years now and I've never had a sophom*ore play both ways. He's the first. That just shows not only his ability but to go both ways every single play, his cognitive ability, he grasps things like no other. You just don't see that. Sophom*ores are usually kids who grow. You groom them. They play maybe one way so they'll be ready as juniors and seniors. But he is just a special player. We're fortunate to have a kid like that."
Defensively, Tulare Western played superbly once again.
The Mustangs forced four turnovers and registered three sacks.
In the third quarter, Jordan Burrell, a junior cornerback, intercepted a Monache pass and returned it the other way for a TD.
Burrell posted two interceptions and increased his season total to seven.
The Mustangs limited the Monache offense to 327 total yards (182 rushing, 145 passing). The Marauders averaged 4.3 yards per play and only had two plays gain 20 yards or more.
Tulare Western has now forced 34 turnovers this season.
"I thought the kids did a great job of finishing strong in the fourth quarter," Rocha said. "Staying in the game. That's huge with high school kids."
The Mustangs will enter the Bell Game against rival Tulare Union (8-0, 3-0) with an undefeated record for the second year in a row.
Assuming the Tribe take care of business on Friday against Mission Oak (1-7, 0-3), the Bell Game will crown the East Yosemite League champions with the winner potentially locking up the No. 1 seed for the Central Section Division II playoffs.
The Bell Game will be televised on TV again this year on KFRE 59. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
"It's just very exciting," Rocha said. "You have an opportunity to win a championship against your rival. You can't wait to play that game all year long and to have it like that, it's going to be a special day in Tulare."
Tulare Western 55, Monache 12
Monache 6 0 0 6 — 12
Tulare Western 21 14 20 0 — 55
First quarter
M – Taylon Hall 8 pass from Antonio Andrade (Omar Meza kick miss), 6:23
TW – Tairyn Johnson 60 run (Carlos Hernandez kick), 6:02
TW – Henry Williams 2 run (Hernandez kick), 4:24
TW – Johnson 34 run (Hernandez kick), 1:55
Second quarter
TW – Mark Smith 35 pass from Elijah Burrell (Hernandez kick), 7:49
TW – Mikey Ficher 71 run (Hernandez kick), 1:54
Third quarter
TW – Jordan Burrell 9 interception return (Hernandez kick), 11:43
TW – Johnson 10 run (run failed), 7:26
TW – Ficher 64 punt return (Hernandez kick), 5:03
Fourth quarter
M – Adrian Almendarez 2 run (Meza kick blocked), 4:19
Individual statistics
RUSHING – Monache: Aidan Galvan 25-124, Antonio Andrade 7-3, Adrian Almendarez 10-32, Marcus Salazar 1-2, Moses Caraveo 4-21. Tulare Western: Andrew Davis 9-52, Mikey Ficher 4-115, Team 4-(minus) 14, Tairyn Johnson 4-113, Henry Williams 1-2, Rolondo Holmes 1-12, Elijah Burrell 2-17.
PASSING – Monache: Andrade 16-29-3 145. Tulare Western: Burrell 5-12-1 103.
RECEIVING – Monache: Taylon Hall 5-31, K.K. Sims 3-3, Tori Powell 4-88, Galvan 2-6, Salazar 1-18, Jason Avila 1-(minus) 1. Tulare Western: Davis 1-10, Johnson 1-52, Ficher 1-13, Mark Smith 1-35, Williams 1-(minus) 7.
Records – Monache 6-3, 1-3; Tulare Western 9-0, 4-0.
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