Cardinals beat Lower Lake 27-20 in back-and-forth battle, will advance to league playoffs
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LOWER LAKE >> In a back-and-forth battle, the Westshore Cardinals beat the Lower Lake Trojans 27-20 in varsity action during Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League play Saturday at Godon Sadler Field in Lower Lake.
Westshore quarterback Pops Horne scrambled 65 yards for a touchdown to snap a 20-all tie, putting the Cardinals (6-1-1) up 27-20 with six seconds left in the game as they added the conversion run.
“We made some costly mistakes during the game and Lower Lake capitalized on them,” Westshore head coach Sid Percaccio said. “I am very proud of my boys for continuing to battle all the way through the final seconds of the game.”
Lower Lake (4-3) jumped out to an 8-0 lead on a fumble return for a touchdown. Westshore pulled even at 8-8 on Luke Percaccio’s 8-yard run and LJ Hopkins’ conversion kick. After the Cardinals forced a punt, Westshore took a 14-8 lead on a Horne 2-yard run.
The Trojans answered with a touchdown of their own to pull even at 14-14. Lower Lake recovered another Westshore fumble early in the fourth quarter and was about to score again when Hopkins intercepted a pass and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown, making it 20-14 in the Cardinals’ favor.
Lower Lake answered with a long drive and scored with 56 seconds remaining to again pull even at 20-20.
Horne finished with 127 yards rushing and 43 yards passing. Percaccio added 68 yards rushing on seven carries.
Westshore’s defensive leaders were Jake Hayes with nine solo tackles, Michael Knight Jr. with seven solo tackles, and Horne and Aaron Wangberg with six tackles apiece.
It was Westshore’s final game as the Cardinals, who are headed to the league playoffs, have a bye this coming Saturday, the final week of the regular season.
Lower Lake hosts Willits on Saturday in its regular-season finale. The top four teams in each division – varsity, junior varsity and pee wee – advance to the semifinal round of the playoffs Oct. 31 at the home sites of the highest seeds. Championship games are Nov. 7 in Fort Bragg.
