Athletes of the week

(Published during the high school sports season)

(For the week of Oct. 26 through Nov. 1)

Boys

Upper Lake High School football team

It’s good to see Northshore football back on the map in Lake County and the Upper Lake Cougars are once again making some serious noise after beating Lower Lake 44-26 on Friday night in Upper Lake. After a 1-6 start, the Cougars have won two straight and scored 99 points in those two wins. They have an excellent opportunity to extend that winning streak to three games in their season finale next Friday in Colusa. From the offensive line, the quarterback, the running backs and receivers on offense, the defensive line, linebackers and secondary on defense, Upper Lake continues to improve as the season progresses. They could have given up after the 1-6 start, but they didn’t do it. Just the opposite.

Girls

Riley Hanson (Jr.) Kelseyville High School volleyball

The reigning North Central League I most valuable player turned in another fantastic season for the Knights. In a first-round North Coast Section Division 3 playoff upset of No. 7 seed Acalanes on Wednesday, Hanson racked up a team-best 20 assists while also adding six kills and two blocks. In a quarterfinal-round playoff loss to No. 2 seed Marin Academy on Saturday, Hanson certainly did her part to get Kelseyville to the next level, leading the team in assists (14), digs (10) and aces (four). Along with freshman sister Cassidy and a whole host of underclassmen teammates who all return next season, the Knights’ reign of dominance in the league (three straight titles) isn’t over yet. And there’s another Hanson sister, Hazel, just a couple of years away.