Fall football madness begins Friday when the 2007 season launches with five games involving Lake County teams, three right here in the county as Kelseyville, Middletown and Clear Lake all open at home.
It”s certainly an exciting time of year because no sport — fall, winter or spring — generates as much interest or barber shop controversy as does football. Bragging rights for an entire school year are decided in the months of September, October and November.
The upcoming season offers no clear-cut favorite in the North Central League I North. Middletown and Kelseyville, the two teams that have taken turns winning the North title in the past two seasons, are fielding young teams. Willits also lost the bulk of its veteran leadership to graduation. Lower Lake, beaten on for years, may have the most returning players in the division and its new coach, Stan Weiper, likes what he sees.
Weiper is one of three new coaches around the county, which also sets 2007 apart from other seasons. Traditionally, coaching turnover in football is rare, but three of the five county coaches this season are leading their teams for the first time — Weiper at Lower Lake, Airic Guerrero at Upper Lake, and Thad Owens at Kelseyville.
Weiper is only new in the sense that he”s new to Lower Lake. After all, he has 166 career wins under his belt, all of those coming at Kelseyville High School, where he coached during two separate stints, most recently from 1990-2006.
Guerrero also isn”t new in the truest sense of the word. He did coach at Upper Lake in 2002-03 before being relieved of his coaching responsibilities, and the Northshore school has been a revolving door for head coaches ever since — Donnie Meri in 2004, Ryan Kinser in 2005 and Craig Kinser in 2006.
Among the storylines for the upcoming season will be:
1) Can Weiper turn Lower Lake into a winner or at least a .500 team? The Trojans haven”t posted a winning overall record since 1997. They have been Lake County”s worst team in terms of wins/losses since coach Bill Cox departed after the ”97 season.
2) Can Guerrero do better in his second tour of duty with the Cougars, who went 1-9 under him in 2002 and 3-7 in 2003? Guerrero doesn”t inherit many returning players as the 2006 squad, which went 5-5 to end the school”s six-year run of losing records, was nearly an all-senior show.
3) Will the Clear Lake Cardinals dominate the NCL I South? With Upper Lake and St. Helena rebuilding with new coaches, Cloverdale coming off an 0-10 year and St. Vincent also rebuilding, can the Cards run away from their four South opponents?
4) Will Gordon Sadler Stadium, Lower Lake”s homefield, be able to accommodate all the fans who are sure to pack the house for the Kelseyville at Lower Lake game on Friday, Oct. 26? That will be the first meeting between Lower Lake”s new coach and his old team, the Knights. Regardless of whether either team finds itself in the standings by that point of the season, this game is a huge one for both sides. Anyone who says otherwise is just blowing smoke.
5) Can the young Middletown Mustangs post their ninth straight winning season? The last time Middletown failed to do so was 1998, which is also the last time the Mustangs missing the North Coast Section Class A playoffs.
The answers will start coming on Friday night as the county teams all face non-league opponents. Starting on Sept. 14, the North and South teams begin interlock play. That”s when things really heat up.
It should be a fun ride.
Other business
On a personal note, I want to thank all of you who sent me cards and e-mails following the death of my mother in July. Losing my mom was a big blow as I”m sure those of you who have lost parents can understand and those of you who haven”t can imagine.
I can”t say I”m back to normal, not by a long shot. My level of enthusiasm for many of the things I took great joy in only a few months ago has diminished. Maybe this will pass with time and maybe it won”t. Perhaps the football season will give me the answer to that as well.
