Hotly contested battle features handful of red, yellow cards
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LOWER LAKE >> The Kelseyville Knights and Lower Lake Trojans probably won’t be exchanging Christmas cards during the holiday season.
In a physical battle that featured an assortment of yellow and red cards, Kelseyville and Lower Lake tied 2-2 in a North Central League I boys soccer game at Gordon Sadler Field, marking the third tie between the teams in their three meetings this season.
Kelseyville (7-3-4 league, 10-6-5 overall) and Lower Lake (8-3-2, 10-4-4) are both headed to the North Coast Section playoffs next week as at-large teams. Lower Lake closes out its league schedule Thursday against Upper Lake. Both the Knights and Trojans will learn Sunday who, when and where they are playing when the section releases its playoff pairings and schedule.
Omar Mercado Marquez scored both of Kelseyville goals. Lower Lake scoring wasn’t reported.
“I wish I could say this wasn’t an interesting game, but they always seem to be with Lower Lake,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said. “A couple red cards and multiple yellow cards given to their side. I have to give my team praise because they didn’t buy into that they just played soccer.”
Lower Lake went up 1-0 only four minutes into the game. Mercado Marquez tied it with a penalty kick in the 27th minute. Lower Lake jumped back in front 2-1 late in the first half.
“At halftime I did something I have never done as a coach,” White said. “I made a complete line change. Outside of my keeper, I switched everyone out for a reserve player. After our third game against Clear Lake, I told myself if we played like that again, I would not make the same mistake of keeping things the same. Today, we were playing a very flat game, so I wanted to light a fire under everyone. My team responded. I started subbing my starting players in about 10 minutes into the second half and they came out with great energy.”
Kelseyville pulled even in the 59th minute after Anthony Arias earned a penalty that Mercado Marquez converted into a second penalty-kick goal.
White praised the play of junior Adrian Carrillo.
“He’s one of the reserves who started the second half,” White said. “He played almost the entire second half because he played extremely well. He is usually one of the first players off the bench for me, but he showed me he is ready for more minutes. The energy and heart he gave was really something else. He was definitely the player of the game.”
In other boys action Tuesday:
Fort Bragg 4, Clear Lake 0
At Lakeport, NCL I champion Fort Bragg shut out the Clear Lake Cardinals, closing its league schedule at 12-1-1. Clear Lake went 6-6-2 in league and is 11-7-4 overall.
The Timberwolves scored all of their goals in the second half.
Clear Lake will learn Sunday if its secured an at-large berth into the North Coast Section playoffs and who, when and where it will be playing.
Upper Lake 2, Middletown 2 (tie)
At Upper Lake, it wasn’t a win, but it sure felt like one for the Upper Lake Cougars, who tied the Middletown Mustangs behind two Emmanuel Tapia goals.
Upper Lake (0-12-1, 0-17-3) snapped a 12-game league losing streak with the draw.
Exiel Godinez assisted on both of Tapia’s goals.
Upper Lake keeper Alan Alvarado saved 14 shots on goal.
“Our offense came alive today,” Upper Lake head coach Fred Miller said. “We only had one man on the bench, so 10 of my starters played a full 80 minutes.”
Added Miller, “Even though we tied, this felt like a huge win for us.”
Middletown’s scoring wasn’t reported. The Mustangs are 4-8-1 in league and 6-10-3 overall. They close their league and season schedule Thursday at home against Willits. Upper Lake hosts Lower Lake on Thursday in its league and season finale.
