Week 4 features pair of action-packed league contests
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LAKE COUNTY >> The Kelseyville Knights and Willits Wolverines are the last two undefeated teams in the North Central League I varsity football standings following Week 4 action around the Redwood Empire.
Kelseyville turned back a strong challenge from Middletown for a 24-21 road victory while the Willits Wolverines enjoyed a bit of home cooking in a 41-22 win over the Lower Lake Trojans, who were gunning for a fourth straight win to open the season.
While Kelseyville at Middletown certainly was the game of the week among Lake County schools, St. Helena’s 32-28 victory at Upper Lake was another game worth the price of admission.
There will be plenty of all-in-county competition in Week 5 as Lower Lake (1-1 league, 3-1 overall) hosts Upper Lake (1-1, 2-2), and Clear Lake (0-1, 0-3) entertains Middletown (0-1, 1-2). If Cloverdale (0-2, 1-3), fresh off a forfeit loss to Fort Bragg, has enough players to host a game this week, the Eagles will be at home Friday against Kelseyville (2-0, 3-1). The two schools have already traded game films, so it appears the game is a go. Outside the county, Willits (2-0, 3-1) hosts Fort Bragg (1-1, 2-2) while St. Helena (1-1, 1-3) has a bye.
Here’s a look back at some of the highs and lows of Week 4:
Statistics
Rushing – Kelseyville’s Kyle Watkins rushed for 246 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns while teammate Michael DeJohn added 119 yards on 10 carries against Middletown. Trenton Griffith led the Mustangs with 121 yards on 13 carries and a TD. Also for Middletown, Jon Hawkins had 89 yards on 14 carries and a TD. Zakai Vilmenay finished with 119 yards on 19 carries and a TD in Lower Lake’s loss to Willits. Delaney Allison’s 107 yards on 23 carries, including three touchdowns, powered Upper Lake’s offense against St. Helena.
Passing – Upper Lake’s Jerod Rosales went 10-for-17 for 204 yards and a touchdown against St. Helena. Lower Lake’s Ashton Hartmann completed 14 of 22 passes for 135 yards and two TDs against Willits. Clear Lake’s AJ Bruch went 11-for-28 for 119 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 45-13 non-league loss to St. Bernard’s of Eureka. Kelseyville’s Brock Barrick was 8 of 11 for 81 yards and a TD, and Middletown’s Jon Hawkins went 5-for-10 for 58 yards and a TD in his first action at quarterback for Middletown.
Receiving – Brody Blancas caught three passes for 79 yards for Upper Lake. Jordan Rohrbacker’s four catches for 58 yards and a TD led Lower Lake. Jace Beard had two catches for 43 yards and a TD against St. Bernard’s.
Special teams
Perfect – Kelseyville’s Jose Juarez went 3-for-3 on extra points and hit a 19-yard field goal against Middletown. Middletown’s Jon Hawkins also went 3-for-3 on extra points.
Defense
Deuces are wild – Adrian Truby picked off two passes and Tyler Collins recovered two fumbles for Clear Lake against St. Bernard’s. Adam Astrup of Kelseyville logged two quarterback sacks against Middletown. Kelseyville’s defense stopped Middletown inside the Kelseyville 10-yard line twice.
Tackles … and more tackles – Kelseyville’s Daniel Andersen Reyes registered four solo tackles, two resulting in losses, and nine assists. Upper Lake’s Mikel Compton had nine solo stops, two assists and an interception. Lower Lake’s Mike Willimas had eight total tackles. Middletown’s Hayden Xavier collected five solo tackles and three assists.
He went thataway – Middletown pulled off the hidden ball trick facing a third-and-long situation in the third quarter Friday night against Kelseyville. Jon Hawkins scored on a 50-yard run to give the Mustangs a 14-10 lead. “Teams will be looking for it now, but at least it worked,” Middletown head coach Bill Foltmer said.
He could be the Allstate guy – Mr. Mayhem, Jayden Teabo of Kelseyville.
Miscellaneous
Streaks – Kelseyville has won its last three regular-season games at Middletown. Clear Lake takes a three-game winning streak against Middletown into Friday’s action at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport. Lower Lake’s three-game winning streak to open the season ended with the loss to Willits. Clear Lake has lost four in a row dating back to last season.
One dozen – The number of rushing touchdowns Kelseyville senior running back Kyle Watkins has through his first four games.
That’s saying something – Talking about one of his players, junior Jon Hawkins, head coach Bill Foltmer said he is the best talent to pass through Middletown in his 40 years of coaching there.
Turnover differential – It’s not often a team wins the turnover battle and still loses, but the Clear Lake Cardinals did just that Friday night at home against St. Bernard’s. The Cardinals had five takeaways to the Crusaders’ three.
Congrats – Two former Middletown standout athletes, Brandon Costlow and Brianna Alves, have tied the knot.
Around the college ranks – Former Kelseyville volleyball standout and Lake County Athlete of the Year Allison Bryant was named most valuable player after Tarleton State won its own tournament, the Tarleton Invitational, Friday and Saturday in Stephenville, Texas. Former Lower Lake star football player Semaj Clark, now a junior wide receiver with Dickinson State University (Dickinson, North Dakota), is the North Star Athletic Association’s player of the week on offense. Clark had five receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns in a 22-20 loss to Wisconsin-Stout on Saturday.
Silver lining – Despite starting the season 0-3, the Clear Lake Cardinals and head coach Mark Cory were counting their blessings Friday after dropping a 45-13 non-league decision to St. Bernard’s, a game that competing for 3 ½ quarters. The bright side? Nothing caught on fire at Don Owens Stadium this past weekend.
JV ranks – Middletown’s junior varsity squad won its league opener against Kelseyville to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Youth football – Four of Lake County’s youth football teams, members of the Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League, are undefeated through five weeks of play. Middletown is 4-0 in the varsity division, Middletown and Westshore are both 3-0-1 in the JV division after battling to a 6-6 tie on Saturday, and Westshore is 4-0 in the pee wee division.
News from Lake County high school soccer – Who the hell knows?
Get your sports news somewhere … anywhere else – Two dads so far, one in high school football, one in pee wee football. You’ll be doing me a big favor.
