Kelseyville edges archrival Clear Lake 1-0 on second-half goal
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LAKEPORT >> When it comes to Clear Lake versus Kelseyville sit down and buckle up, and it really doesn’t matter what sport you’re talking about.
“Just your classic Kelseyville-Clear Lake soccer game,” Kelseyville boys soccer head coach Kc White said Thursday after the Knights slipped past the Cardinals 1-0 in the North Central League I opener for both teams at Lakeport.
“Throw records out the window,” White said. “Each team wants to beat the other and nothing else matters. If you don’t come ready to play, you’re going to low.”
Cameron Smith’s goal in the second half, a shot assisted by Alex Jimenez, turned out to be the difference in the game.
“In the 55th minute Alex Jimenez sent a cross to the far post,” White said. “Diego Rico, it appeared, had the best chance at it, but it went through and Cameron Smith was right there to put us in front. It was a fantastic goal for Cameron, and I’m so proud of him.”
Kelseyville (1-0 league, 6-3-1 overall) and Clear Lake (0-1, 1-4-1) battled through a scoreless first half.
“We dominated the game in every aspect,” White said. “We controlled possession to the point where I think I can count on two hands the number of times Cleare Lake got the ball over the half line. However, Clear Lake packed the box against us from the beginning. They didn’t want to concede a goal almost as much as they wanted to score on the other end, and I give them credit. They almost had a perfect game plan today. We put up 27 shots today, and only one found the net.”
Both teams played plenty of defense. White praised the efforts of Gerardo Garcia, Diego Serrato and Ivan Carrillo, a Clear Lake transfer.
“Gerardo Garcia was spectacular at defense today,” White said. “In the second had we adjusted to how Clear Lake was playing. We became more aggressive and pretty much put G on an island with Clear Lake’s only forward. He locked him down.”
Added White of Serrato, the Knights’ goalkeeper, “He didn’t have much to save, but he was loud, directing the defense, and he was aggressive coming off his line.”
Carrillo saw his first action this season for the Knights.
“So it was a big game for him, and he played beautifully in his defensive back position,” White said.
Kelseyville is home Tuesday to play Fort Bragg at 4:30 p.m., a matchup of what could be the top two teams in the league this season, according to White. Clear Lake travels to Upper Lake to play the Cougars at 4:30 p.m.
“We have to be ready, and we will be,” White said of the upcoming game against the Timberwolves.
In other NCL I boys soccer action Thursday:
Lower Lake 6, Upper Lake 0
At Lower Lake, Edwin Cstellanos and Adrian Guzman scored two goals apiece to lift Lower Lake (1-0, 4-2) to a league-opening win over the Upper Lake Cougars (0-1, 3-6).
Angel Cuevas and Agustin Sanchez also scored for Lower Lake. Eduardo Fernandez and Jorge Carlos had two assists apiece while Guzman had one.
Lower Lake is on the road Tuesday to play Willits at 5 p.m. Upper Lake is home against clear Lake at 4:30 p.m.
Willits 3, Middletown 2
At Willits, Middletown (0-1, 1-4) dropped its league opener to the Willits Wolverines.
No other details were reported.