Quarterback Pena rushes for two touchdowns, passes for another as Cougars blank Eagles
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CLOVERDALE >> Upper Lake High School quarterback Isaia Pena had his fingerprints all over the Cougars’ 22-0 victory over the Cloverdale Eagles during North Central League I interlock junior varsity football action Friday in Cloverdale.
Pena rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 112 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion as the Cougars improved to 2-0.
Upper Lake did all of its scoring in the first half on a hot night in northern Sonoma County.
“It was hot, but like I told the kids when we were up 14-0, it’s a lot hotter for them (Eagles) right now,” Upper Lake head coach Don Meri said.
Hot or not, Meri said none of his players were asking to come out of the game even though there were quite a few cramps.
“I just told them to get a drink and get ready to go back in there,” Meri said of his players. “I did my best to get fresh people in there.”
Pena completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to Chase Noble, who made nice catch and continued on into the end zone.
Michael Marcks added a two-point conversion run.
“As a team we played very well,” Meri said.
Billy Pimentel finished with 58 yards rushing and also had three solo tackles on defense.
Upper Lake’s defense, which hasn’t allowed a touchdown through its first two games, was led by Angelo Macias with seven solo tackles and three assists. Noble had five solo tackles and four assists, and Billy Eagle Tail intercepted a pass.
“We had opportunities to score in the second half, we just didn’t convert,” Meri said of a scoreless second half.
Upper Lake will face an undefeated Clear Lake team (3-0) next Friday in Upper Lake at 5 p.m. The varsity game pairs Upper Lake with Stuart Hall (San Francisco) at 7 p.m. Between games the two newest members of the Upper Lake Alumni Hall of Fame – Marci Schaefers Psalmonds and Dennis Wilson – will be introduced.
