Kelseyville tops Middletown on senior night, Lower Lake nips Clear Lake on the road
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KELSEYVILLE >> Kelseyville High School honored its seniors after beating Middletown 2-1 in North Central League I boys soccer action Thursday in Kelseyville.
The Knights honored Joey Watson, Nick Arredondo, Jair Inostroza Carrillo, Angel Bernal, Gerardo Garcia, Erik Navarrete Mora and Julio Lopez. Carrillo scored a goal and assisted on Watson’s goal as the Knights improved to 7-3-3 in the league standings and 10-6-4 overall. Anthony Arias assisted on Inostroza Carrillo’s goal.
“My seniors deserve a ton of credit tonight,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said. “Joey Watson and Nick Arredondo have been welcomed additions this season. Julio Lopez has battled through a lot of adversity this season but has played when he has been able. Jair Inostroza Carrillo, of course, has been our MVP this year. Angel Bernal has really stepped up his game this season. But I cannot go further without acknowledging Gerardo Garcia. He is the unsung hero of this team. He has played every minute of every game since his freshman season. He plays defense, so he’s not mentioned as much as he should be, but our team over the last four years would have been a shell of ourselves without G manning the defense. As good of a player as G is, he is a way better human. While I’m sad to see him go, I’m excited for the rest of the world that they get to experience G.”
Inostroza Carrillo’s goal in the 11th minute to put Kelseyville in front to stay. Watson’s goal in the 25th minute made it 2-0, the halftime score.
Carter Rarick scored in the second half for Middletown (4-8, 6-10-2).
“We were in control from the very beginning, but with about 25 minutes left we were issued a red card, which forced us to play down a man the rest of the match,” White said. “That gave Middletown hope and they took advantage to make it a game. We created good chances after that, but again, our inability to score on excellent chances kept Middletown close, so we had to sweat it out.”
“Due to illness, red-card suspensions and short notice, we traveled to Kelseyville with only 14 players,” Middletown head coach Katie Robinson said. “Despite our limited roster, these boys showed up ready to compete, and I could not be more proud of how they played together as a complete unit.”
Added Robinson, “Senior Joey Robertson stepped up in goal and delivered an outstanding performance with 13 saves. His communication was excellent as he directed his teammates and called out opposing players’ movements on the pitch. This helped our defense stay organized, make adjustments and hold strong throughout the game.
“Our defense and midfield worked tirelessly to disrupt Kelseyville’s attack. Senior captain Wyatt Davis led the way with 18 steals while Caleb Ahlmann recorded 16 steals and Nalu Johnson added another 17 steals. These efforts helped us win possession, break up plays and transition back into our attack.”
The Mustangs held up well during a physical game, according to Robinson.
“Kelseyville received a red card and four yellow cards during the match,” Robinson said. “With Kelseyville down to 10 players, our boys continued to battle and search for that second goal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the equalizer.”
Added Robinson, “The final score doesn’t tell the whole story. The heart, communication, resilience and teamwork these boys showed on the field are what I will remember most.”
Middletown is home Tuesday to take on Upper Lake at 6:15 p.m. Kelseyville travels to Lower Lake for a 6:15 p.m. game with the Trojans.
In other boys soccer action Thursday:
Lower Lake 2, Clear Lake 1
At Lakeport, the Lower Lake Trojans swept the season series from Clear Lake, improving to 8-3-1 in league play and 10-4-3 overall. The Cardinals drop to 6-5-2 in league and 11-6-4 overall.
Neither team reported its goal scorers to Lake County Sports.
Lower Lake hosts Kelseyville on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. while Clear Lake is home Tuesday to play Fort Bragg at 4:30 p.m.
Cloverdale 5, Upper Lake 1
At Cloverdale, the Cloverdale Eagles outscored the Upper Lake Cougars 4-0 in the second half to break a 1-1 halftime tie.
Upper Lake is 0-12 in league play and 0-17-2 overall.
The Cougars travel to Middletown on Tuesday for a 6:15 p.m. game.