Middletown, Clear Lake football teams improve to 3-0 in league standings
By Brian Sumpter
Lake County Sports on Facebook
LAKE COUNTY >> Week 5 of the high school football season had a little bit of everything regardless of whether you’re a football fan, football player who can follow the rules, football player who can’t follow the rules, WWE fan or that precious football parent who doesn’t realize the real problem is right underneath his/her nose.
Oh well, that’s just the way the ejections roll in the local high school sporting scene. Thankfully there was some pretty good football played in Week 5, which is almost the midway point of the 2025 season. Middletown and Willits locked up in a North Central League I battle that was all about football and only about football, with flags at a bare minimum and players even helping an official to his feet. Kelseyville gave undefeated St. Helena all it could want in the first half before injuries and inexperience took its toll in the second half, and the Lower Lake Trojans and Fort Bragg Timberwolves went down to the wire on the Mendocino County coast.
Clear Lake at Upper Lake was an entirely different story. Yes, the Cardinals and Cougars did finish their game, and that was pretty much the highlight with the exception of Clear Lake running back Jesse Hayes’ second four-touchdown outing of the season. Upper Lake also finally scored, snapping a six-game stretch of futility dating back to last season.
Looking ahead to Week 6, a week that features a maximum number of games (five) as every county school is locked up with a non-county foe, the spotlight falls on a collision of league leaders as St. Helena (3-0, league, 5-0 overall) hosts Middletown (3-0 league, 4-1 overall). Other NCL I games have Cloverdale (0-2, 1-3) at Kelseyville (0-2, 0-3), Willits (1-1, 3-1) at Lower Lake (0-3, 2-3), Fort Bragg (2-1, 2-3) at Upper Lake (0-3, 0-5), and in non-league action, Clear Lake (3-1) at Mt. Shasta (1-3).
If you want to learn more about field lighting problem at Kelseyville High School, you’re welcome to attend a meeting Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the student center.
Following are some of the highlights and lowlights from Week 5 games:
Statistics
Rushing – Between enough penalty flags to choke a pig, Clear Lake’s Jesse Hayes rushed for 126 yards and a TD in a 37-6 win over Upper Lake. Middletown’s Tyler Galamay rushed for 95 yards, including a back-breaking 39-yard touchdown run with 4:28 remaining in a 22-9 victory over Willits. Kelseyville quarterback Max Lee rushed for 79 yards and a TD in a 53-23 loss to St. Helena while teammate Andrew Souza added 73 yards and a TD.
Passing – Middletown’s Blake Costlow went 8-for-9 for 79 yards, including a 40-yeard touchdown, against Willits. Kelseyville’s Max Lee was 6-for-14 for 97 yards and a TD. Lower Lake’s Ashton Hartmann, Clear Lake’s AJ Bruch and Upper Lake’s Billy Stillman Jr. all threw TDs in their respective games – Lower Lake fell 12-8 at Fort Bragg.
Receiving – Trenton Griffth’s 40-yard TD catch got Middletown on the board on its first possession of the game against Willits. Clear Lake’s Jesse Hayes had two catches for 36 yards and a TD. Lower Lake’s Jordan Rohrbacker, Upper Lake’s Antario Wyman and Kelseyville’s Hugh O’Boyle all caught touchdown passes.
Special teams
Perfect – Clear Lake placekicker Copper Garrity was actually able to swing his foot five times in anger without being ejected against Upper Lake, going 5-for-5 on his extra-point kicks. Kelseyville kicker Jose Juarez also was perfect – 3-for-3 – against St. Helena.
Quick six — Clear Lake’s Jesse Hayes (there’s that name again) returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown against Upper Lake. St. Helena also returned a punt for a score in the first half against Kelseyville.
Defense
Pick-six fever, catch it – St. Helena returned two interceptions and nearly a third for touchdowns against Kelseyville. Clear Lake’s Tony Moreno and Jesse Hayes (name sounds familiar) had interception returns for touchdowns against Upper Lake. Middletown’s Jamisen Jackson returned an interception for what appeared to be six points, but most of his return was wiped out by a penalty. Nevertheless, the turnover still led to six points for the Mustangs.
Safety comes first – Kelseyville, Clear Lake and Willits scored safeties during their respective games on Friday. Willits blocked a punt into the end zone where Middletown punter Jon Hawkins smartly fell on the ball, avoiding a Willits touchdown.
Tackles matter – Given the amount of time Middletown spent playing defense against Willits, especially in the first half, it’s no wonder the Mustangs had three players finish with double-digit tackle totals led by Ryan Halverson (13), Brody Costlow (12) and Tyler Galamay (11). For Kelseyville, Adrian Garcia led the team again four solo stops and seven assists while teammate Milez Gambria had three solo tackles and six assists.
Shutout streak ends – With its first-quarter touchdown against Clear Lake on Friday night, Upper Lake scored its first points since an Oct. 18, 2024, loss to Fort Bragg.
Miscellaneous
Streaks – Middletown has won four in a row and Clear Lake three straight. Upper Lake has dropped nine straight games dating back to last season and Kelseyville four in a row. Lower Lake is on a three-game losing streak.
Quite the feat – Willits held the ball every second of the first quarter against Middletown on Friday night at Bill Foltmer Field without scoring. The final play of the quarter was an incomplete pass on fourth down. During the 12-minute drive, the Wolverines ran 18 plays and converted two fourth downs.
Variety is the spice of life – Clear Lake’s Jesse Hayes scored his four touchdowns against Upper Lake in four different ways (run, reception, kickoff return and interception). Middletown’s Trenton Griffith logged rushing and receiving scores against Willits.
Even dozen – Clear Lake’s Jesse Hayes (echo, echo, echo) has 12 touchdowns in four games.
22 penalties (in one quarter) – Upper Lake in the second quarter against Clear Lake.
Ejections RUS – Three Upper Lake players and one Clear Lake players were ejected from Friday’s game at Upper Lake, probably a new county ejection record.
Personal responsibility – You mean to tell me a coach or an official has to tell you that taunting, hitting, slamming, cheap-shotting a player is wrong? You didn’t know that before the game? Well, understand if you get a second ejection this season, you’re done.
JV happenings – Middletown beat Willits to improve to 3-0 in league and 5-0 overall. Upper Lake shut out Clear Lake to go to 2-1 in league play, and Kelseyville improved to 1-0-1 in league with a win over St. Helena.
The things you learn – While rolling video on Trenton Griffith’s 7-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter against Willits, I didn’t even realize the official to my right got taken out on the play. Apparently, he’s OK, just sore. It’s dangerous business down on the sidelines where plays blow up all of a sudden.
Congrats to Middletown – On always putting together a crowd-pleasing homecoming ceremony.
Volleyball kudos – To Kelseyville High School’s varsity for a come-from-behind, five-set win over Cloverdale on Thursday night, a battle of 5-0 teams. Can’t wait for the rematch in Cloverdale.
Appreciate it Mark Garner – Lower Lake youth football’s varsity head coach actually reported his team’s results last week after a loss to Westshore, the Trojans’ first loss of the season. Losing coaches often forget my email address. It’s probably a coincidence.
Time of possession – Willits held the ball 20 of the 24 minutes in the first half against Middletown on Friday night and didn’t score, giving bend-but-not-break defense a new meaning.
Active game – Middletown sophomore John Finney intercepted a pass to snuff out a final Willits drive and also caught a pair of two-point conversion passes.
Youth football spotlight – Middletown’s and Westshore’s undefeated junior varsity teams square off next Saturday in Middletown at 5:30 p.m.
If you have a complaint, contest Deanna – Goff Railroad, LLC, will accommodate you at the train station.
