UPPER LAKE — Brittany Rumfelt tacked on another 21 points to her soaring career total as the Clear Lake Cardinals turned back a strong challenge from the Upper Lake Cougars and Rebecca Grupe, 52-45, in a North Central League I South varsity girls” basketball game on Friday night in Upper Lake.
While Rumfelt was moving up to 16th all-time on the list of Lake County”s career scoring leaders (1,148 points), Grupe put on quite a shooting display for Upper Lake (0-4 South, 2-17 overall), scoring a season-high 23 points that including six 3-pointers — all of them in the second half.
“She wanted to win and she almost pulled it off single-handedly,” Upper Lake coach Froy Mendoza said. “She was on fire.”
Upper Lake was as close as five points down the stretch against the Cardinals, who squared their South record at 2-2 while improving to 11-7 overall.
“That No. 25 (Grupe) sure proved she could make it from the outside,” Clear Lake coach Jen Goff said of Grupe”s six 3-pointers.
Clear Lake led by as many as 19 points early in the third quarter but Upper Lake chipped away at that lead the remainder of the game.
“We looked a little bit lost at times,” Goff said of her team”s performance. “I would have liked to seen us play a little cleaner game.”
Ashlee Meyer had nine points for the Cardinals. Both Rumfelt and Molly Ryan finished with 10 rebounds.
Courtney Gatton joined Grupe in double digits with 10 points for Upper Lake.
“I”m very proud of them,” Mendoza said of the Cougars” effort. “They showed they can play.”
