{"id":7166,"date":"2026-09-17T20:15:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/?p=7166"},"modified":"2026-09-17T20:21:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T20:21:19","slug":"knights-mustangs-renew-rivalry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/?p=7166","title":{"rendered":"Knights, Mustangs renew rivalry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Week 3 features M’town at Kelseyville, Stuart Hall at Upper Lake, Lower Lake at Fort Bragg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brian Sumpter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lake County Sports on Facebook<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAKE COUNTY >> With all due respect to the Bass Bowl, the annual rivalry game between Clear Lake and Kelseyville that won\u2019t take place this year because the Cardinals don\u2019t have a varsity team, the most compelling county matchup for the past decade has been Middletown versus Kelseyville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner of this head-to-head battle the last four years has gone on to have a pretty solid season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Middletown (1-1) at Kelseyville (1-1) is the headliner for Week 3 of the high school football season, other games involving county teams have Lower Lake (0-1) at Fort Bragg (1-2) and Stuart Hall (1-1) at Upper Lake (1-1) in two other North Central League I interlock matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middletown at Kelseyville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going back to the 2016 season, Kelseyville and Middletown have played 12 times \u2013 they met both in the regular season and playoffs in 2016, 2017 and 2018 \u2013 with the Mustangs holding an 8-4 advantage. Seven of those games were decided by eight or fewer points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey took it to us last year and went on to win the section,\u201d Kelseyville head coach Logan Barrick said of the Mustangs\u2019 50-6 victory last season. \u201cWe beat them the year before (24-21) and won the league title.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, the 2023 (Middletown 28-21) and 2022 meetings (14-6 Kelseyville) were suspenseful, both teams making solid runs in the league race those years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelseyville also beat Middletown 28-0 during the 2018 regular season, but the Mustangs upset the Knights 14-12 in the playoffs and went on to win a section championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, Middletown defeated Kelseyville 7-6 in league action and 7-0 in the playoffs while reaching the section finals. And in 2016, Middletown routed Kelseyville 40-8 in league action, but the Knights upset the Mustangs 14-12 in the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both teams have mastered the art of the counterpunch pretty well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s meeting is the first between second-year head coach Kurtis Woodard of Middletown and first-year head coach Logan Barrick of Kelseyville, both graduates of Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a pretty random school for both of us to end up at,\u201d Barrick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it would be fun to sit down and talk about our experiences there,\u201d Woodard said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results of Bemidji Bowl I could be a big factor down the line for both teams, who could meet again in the playoffs just like in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This year they are competing in different divisions of the newly realigned NCL I, so both could conceivably advance to the North Coast Section playoffs as league champions \u2013 Kelseyville in the North and Middletown in the South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho knows that division we\u2019ll end up in,\u201d Barrick said. \u201cIt could be anywhere from Division 5 to Division 7.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey have an excellent running game, strong athletes,\u201d Woodard said of the Knights. \u201cFacing Pierce gave us a little insight on what to expect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pierce, a team that runs the ball almost exclusively, beat Middletown 10-7 during a zero-week game on Aug. 28 in Middletown. After a bye Sept. 4, the Mustangs came back last week to dominate Willits 42-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey also throw the ball decent,\u201d Woodard of Kelseyville quarterback Kimo Brown, who is dating Woodard\u2019s niece, Izzi Hoogendoorn of Middletown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe wears his jersey all the time,\u201d Woodard said when asked who his niece will be rooting for Friday. \u201cShe better not ask me for lunch money anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the annual Lake County Scrimmage on Aug. 21 in Upper Lake, the Kelseyville-Middletown matchup was easily the most competitive and heated portion of the preseason practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t feel like a scrimmage,\u201d Barrick said. \u201cBoth teams went at it pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe get more competitive based on what we\u2019re facing, and they (players) know it\u2019s going to be a competitive game,\u201d Woodard said of Middletown\u2019s opponent Friday. \u201cTuesday\u2019s practice was physical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelseyville lost a 20-18 heartbreaker to Justin-Siena on zero week, a late clipping penalty wiping out a go-ahead Knights touchdown in the final seconds, but like Middletown, the Knights bounced back last week, parlaying a strong second half into a 43-33 win against Stuart Hall at San Francisco\u2019s Kezar Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Knights are playing at home for the first time this season and are looking forward to the challenge Middletown brings, according to Barrick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a good football team and we\u2019re preparing for a lot of different things. We\u2019re thinking we\u2019ve got some sort of options for what they do,\u201d Barrick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the game going to come down to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is going to be the most disciplined football team,\u201d Barrick said. \u201cOn offense, we\u2019ve got to get a block on No. 18 (linebacker Ryan Halverson). On defense, lining up correctly is something we have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMomentum plays a huge part of it,\u201d Woodard said. \u201cIt was nice to get that first win (last week). You can relax for a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, at least a day of relaxation, Woodard joked, then it was back to game-planning for Kelseyville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower Lake at Fort Bragg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trojans hit the road to take on a Timberwolf squad that has dropped its last two games, including a 34-22 decision to St. Helena a week ago in St. Helena. Lower Lake opened its season with a 27-14 loss at home last week to Lindhurst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Bragg won 12-5 in its season opener at Willits and lost 32-8 at home to McKinleyville two weeks ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Trojans are looking to snap a five-game losing streak against the Timberwolves, who they\u2019ve played some nailbiters against in recent seasons. Fort Bragg won 12-8 last year, 21-20 in 2023, and 19-18 in 2021. The Trojans won the 2019 meeting 29-21 at Lower Lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny time we go up there you don\u2019t know what to expect,\u201d Lower Lake head coach Jay Jakubowski said of traveling to the Mendocino coast, which the Trojans are doing for a third year in a row. \u201cTheir officials call in differently, so you\u2019ve got to adjust. Penalties killed us a year ago, so we\u2019re got to clean that up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower Lake will be looking to find more balance in its running game after throwing the ball 30 times against Lindhurst, which is more than Jakubowski wanted. Falling behind 21-0 in the first half was part of the reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were looking at maybe 15-18 passes, not 30,\u201d Jakubowski said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to do a better job in the running game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower Lake\u2019s top rusher, Anthony Russell, had only four carries a week ago, which is about 10 fewer that Jakubowski had hoped for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t secure the front (against Lindhurst), so that was a problem,\u201d Jakubowski said. \u201cWe\u2019ve made some adjustments up front, which will help us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fort Bragg is big and physical up front on both offense and defense. Timberwolf senior quarterback Chris Hernandez has a strong arm and is capable of going deep downfield at any point. Weapons include junior running back\/receiver Valen Ivankay (No. 5) and senior Isaiah Arguellas (No. 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. 5 (Ivankay) plays all over the place,\u201d Jakubowski said. \u201cWe have to account for him wherever he is on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ivankay is Fort Bragg\u2019s top rusher and receiver with 156 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and five catches for 162 yards and two TDs. Arguellas has eight receptions for 149 yards and a TD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower Lake lost three kids for the season this week, though only one starter, for various reasons, according to Jakubowski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower Lake\u2019s coach is encouraged by his team\u2019s strong second half against Lindhurst and is hoping that momentum carries over to another road trip to Fort Bragg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce we settled in against Lindhurst in the second half, we allowed only one score and moved the ball on offense,\u201d Jakubowski said. \u201cAnd they were playing their third game while it was our first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuart Hall of Upper Lake<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming off a 35-0 road loss to Cloverdale, the Upper Lake Cougars make their home debut against a Stuart Hall team that pushed Kelseyville to the limit a week ago. Complicating the Cougars\u2019 task this week was a school closure Monday through Wednesday because of the nearby Lucas Fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were able to practice on the field, but we couldn\u2019t use any of the buildings,\u201d Upper Lake head coach John Toohey said. \u201cOur attendance was spotty Monday and Tuesday (at practice). A lot of our kids had no way to get here with the busses not running.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much that lack of preparation time will hurt against Stuart Hall remains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn terms of installing our game, it definitely hurt,\u201d Toohey said. \u201cBut we\u2019re not in a terrible spot. The kids are ready to play.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stuart Hall\u2019s passing game will definitely test the Upper Lake defense, according to Toohey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been working on the back end quite a bit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another concern is a mobile Stuart Hall quarterback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat quarterback getting out in space on a broken play is a hair puller,\u201d Toohey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though this week\u2019s opponent figures to be a step up from Cloverdale, Toohey said he believes the Cougars are ready to meet the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe game got away from us (in the second half) against Cloverdale,\u201d Toohey said. \u201cI think we\u2019re going to give a better effort this week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clear Lake plays Upper Lake in the junior varsity game. Stuart Hall doesn\u2019t have a JV team and Clear Lake doesn\u2019t have a varsity team, so the Cardinals (3-0) are slotting in to fill the vacancy. Upper Lake\u2019s JVs are off to a 2-0 start, and neither team\u2019s defense has allowed a touchdown so far this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Upper Lake Alumni Hall of Fame will introduce its two newest members, Marci Schaefers Psalmonds (Class of 1989) and Dennis Wilson (Class of 1968), between games. Both were athletes and coaches for the Cougars. They are the first two athletes inducted into the school\u2019s Hall of Fame, which is in only its second year of existence. Longtime coach and athletic director Craig Kinser was the lone member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Week 3 features M’town at Kelseyville, Stuart Hall at Upper Lake, Lower Lake at Fort Bragg By Brian Sumpter Lake County Sports on Facebook LAKE COUNTY >> With all due respect to the Bass Bowl, the annual rivalry game between Clear Lake and Kelseyville that won\u2019t take place this year because the Cardinals don\u2019t have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,110,58,26,17,18,19,15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7166"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7166"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7166\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7169,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7166\/revisions\/7169"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/briansumptersports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}