Week 2 games all under the lights Friday night
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LAKE COUNTY >> It’s Week 2 for Lake County’s high school football teams and all five schools go under the lights Friday night although only the Lower Lake Trojans are playing at home.
Lower Lake, coming off a season-opening 30-22 road victory against Esparto, hosts Kennedy (0-1) of Richmond, its final tuneup before ushering in its North Central League I schedule the following Friday at Cloverdale (0-1). Kennedy fell 41-14 to Archi Williams on the road last weekend in its opener.
The Trojans were able to move the ball on the ground and through the air against Esparto as they opened up a 22-7, then snapped a 22-22 late in the fourth quarter. They compiled more than 300 yards of total offense.
Kennedy went 7-4 a year ago, including 2-2 in the Tri-Counties League Stone Division, which also includes St. Patrick/St. Vincent and Vallejo. They lost 56-12 eventual section and state champion St. Vincent (Petaluma) in the first round of the North Coast Section Division 6 playoffs.
In other Friday action involving Lake County schools, Clear Lake (0-0) makes its season debut against Pierce (1-0) in Arbuckle, Kelseyville and Orland collide in a battle of 1-0 teams at Orland, Middletown (1-0) hits the road to play Piedmont (0-1), and Upper Lake (0-1) travels to Los Molinos (1-0).
Clear Lake at Pierce
This is the third straight year Clear Lake is opening up against the Pierce Bears. The Cardinals won 42-0 last season and 28-15 in 2022, that after dropping three straight to the Bears – 15-8 in 2021, 46-14 in 2019, and 26-7 in 2018. They never had a chance to meet in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clear Lake breaks in a whole new cast of skill players as quarterback AJ Bruch, a junior, makes his varsity debut.
The Cardinals remain on the road the following Friday when they open their NCL I schedule at Upper Lake. Clear Lake’s first home game is Sept. 20 against St. Bernard’s of Eureka, a non-league contest.
Kelseyville at Orland
Orland won a state championship game two years ago, including a win over Clear Lake in the NorCal championship game. The Trojans won another Northern Section title in 2023 but lost to Woodland Christian in the NorCal Championship game. They were 11-2 overall.
The Trojans opened 2024 with a 46-21 home victory last weekend over Paradise. Kelseyville also easily handled its first opponent, beating McKinleyville 50-18 on the road.
The Knights are home against Fort Bragg in their NCL I opener Sept. 13 at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.s
Middletown at Piedmont
Middletown got its season off to a great start a week ago with a 33-14 home win against Piner High School of Santa Rosa, the 310th career victory for Bill Foltmer in his 40th and final season as the Mustangs’ head coach.
Foltmer and company will be looking for career win 311 and season win No. 2 against a Piedmont team that struggled mightily in a week-one 46-14 loss to Salesian (Richmond). The Highlanders are coming off a solid 7-4 season in 2023, including a co-championship in the West Alameda County-Shoreline League.
Middletown has its bye week the following weekend before returning to action Sept. 20 against Kelseyville, the Mustangs’ league opener.
Upper Lake at Los Molinos
Though Upper Lake showed some promising signs a week ago in a season-opening 28-8 road loss to Terra Linda, head coach Stan Weiper and the Cougars are more than ready to get back into the win column, something they haven’t done since a Sept. 22, 2023 win over Lower Lake, 30-20, at Upper Lake. The Cougars dropped their final five games last season, a losing streak that reached six last weekend against Terra Linda.
Los Molinos went 8-4 last season and reached the second round of the Northern Section Division 5 playoffs before losing to Portola.
Upper Lake returns home Friday, Sept. 13 to take on Clear Lake in the league opener for both teams.
