Middletown JV girls battle bigger schools in Ukiah JV Tournament
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FORT BRAGG >> Still short a starter, the Upper Lake High School varsity girls basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 58-32 victory over the Mendocino Cardinals on Tuesday in the consolation semifinals of the Holiday Classic in Fort Bragg.
Upper Lake (12-1) lost to an undefeated Windsor team, 60-18, in Monday’s opening round, the Cougars’ first loss after 11 straight wins to open the 2025-26 season.
“Today was a different story,” Upper Lake head coach Raelene Cromwell said. “Rylee (Zimmerschied) came out and was hot. She scored 14 points in the third quarter (hitting four of six 3-pointers in the period).”
Zimmerschied finished with a team-best 19 points while Aimee Schaefers added 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. The Cougars also received nine points from Sofia Cruz, eight from Camila Martin and seven from Kaylin Smith, who also pulled down 10 rebounds.
Alyssa John missed a second straight game because of a family emergency.
Upper Lake played Tuesday’s Hayfork-Los Molinos winner for the consolation championship on Wednesday morning.
The Cougars resume their North Central League I schedule on Tuesday in Cloverdale.
In other girls tournament action Tuesday:
Ukiah JV Tournament
Ukiah 40, Middletown 36 (third round)
Windsor 46, Middletown 36 (second round)
At Ukiah, battling bigger schools at the Ukiah JV Tournament, the Middletown Mustangs lost to tournament host Ukiah and Windsor in the final rounds of the round-robin competition, finishing 1-2 overall.
“The ladies played great and battled hard until the end,” Middletown head coach Daryl Dacosta said following the loss to Ukiah in the Mustangs’ final tournament game.
Chloe Pulido scored 20 points against Ukiah and was named to the All-Tournament team along with teammate Emma Davis, who had double-doubles in each of Middletown’s first two tournament games.
“Chloe really carried the team tonight and tried to will us to a win, but we just came up short,” Dacosta said.
Grace Williams added five points and six steals in the loss to Ukiah.
Against Windsor earlier in the day, it was Davis’ 14 points and 13 rebounds that powered the Mustangs.
“She really set the tone for the game,” Dacosta said of Davis, a freshman.
Pulido and Ally Cherry each had eight points while Williams had six.
Middletown (8-3) travels to Lower Lake on Tuesday for a league game against the host Trojans.
