Knights shut out Upper Lake 7-0, Fort Bragg blanks Middletown 2-0
Lake County Sports on Facebook
KELSEYVILLE >> Alex Jimenez finished with a hat trick while Sebastian Cacho added two more goals in Kelseyville’s 7-0 win over the Upper Lake Cougars in North Central League I varsity boys soccer action Thursday evening in Kelseyville.
Jair Inostroza Carrillo and Leland Ilaraza-Bovo also had goals for the Knights (2-0-1 league, 7-3-2 overall). Luis Alvarado finished with three assists, Julio Lopez two and Julian Arias and Gavin Cunningham one apiece.
“This was a total team effort,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said. “I’m proud of my team for putting Tuesday behind us (2-2 tie with Fort Bragg), taking a good Upper Lake team seriously, and putting our best foot forward.”
Kelseyville peppered away at the Upper Lake goal in the first half, taking 17 shots and making four of them.
“Upper Lake started the game by playing a high line on defense, and to my team’s credit the players noticed it quickly,” White said. “We exploited it quite often.”
Alvarado’s through ball to Cacho, who knocked it home, staked Kelseyville to a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the game. Jimenez didn’t start for the Knight but made his presence known quickly when he scored in the 27th minute after another through ball from Alvarado.
Alvarado completed his assist hat trick five minutes later with a through ball to Inostroza Carrillo. Carrillo’s goal made it a 3-0 game. Jimenez scored again in the 37th minute with a Cunningham assist to boost Kelseyville’s lead to 4-0, the halftime score.
Jimenez completed his hat trick with a goal in the 51st minute, assisted by Lopez. Four minutes later Lopez assisted Cacho on his second goal of the game and team-leading 11th of the season for a 6-0 lead.
White emptied his bench at that point. Ilaraza-Bovo scored in the 76th minute assisted by Arias, the first goal of the freshman’s career.
“Last time we played Upper Lake, my reserves got a lot of playing time, but I was not very pleased with their effort in that game,” White said. “The moment seemed too big for them. Tonight, it was a different story. They controlled the game when they were in. I was thrilled to see the improvements they had made to this point. I have 11 seniors on my team this year, almost half my squad, so it is important for my reserves to begin to get comfortable on the field so we can build on this season moving forward.”
White praised the play of foreign exchange student Manuel Ingrassia of Italy, who made his Kelseyville debut.
“I was impressed with his knowledge of the game,” White said. “He seemed to know exactly where to be. I’m excited for him to get more opportunities.”
Kelseyville plays a non-league game Saturday against Gateway in San Francisco at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields beginning at 11 a.m. The Knights resume their league schedule Tuesday in Willits at 5 p.m.
In other NCL I boys soccer action Thursday:
Fort Bragg 2, Middletown 0
At Fort Bragg, the Fort Bragg Timberwolves shut out Middletown despite a strong effort by the Mustangs’ defense.
“They play well as a team with seamless passing and great communication, attributes we strive for,” Middletown head coach Katie Robinson said of the Timbewolves. “We held strong defensively, led by captain Tony Juarez, only giving up two goals, one early in each half. Both were amazing shots from Fort Bragg.”
Among the Middletown standouts was keeper Tristan Chairez, according to Robinson.
“He made some amazing saves against an aggressive offense,” Robinson said. “Tristan saved a PK (penalty kick) with a drive left that was sure to go in without his quick reaction.”
Added Robinson, “Yet even with a strong defense we offensively were not able to get points on the board against Fort Bragg. I’m proud of the progress and growth in my players and feel good about our team holding Fort Bragg at only two when they have been raking up some scores on others.”
Middletown is 0-3 in league and 1-5 overall. The Mustangs host Lower Lake on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.