Week six games
Friday
Fort Bragg 62, Kelseyville 19
Clear Lake 47, Lower Lake 0
Middletown 56, Willits 0
Saturday
St. Helena 27, Upper Lake 12
Statistical leaders
Rushing — Upper Lake”s Joe Barnes rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown in the Cougars” loss to St. Helena. Aaron Adams had 118 yards on 17 carries and a TD to lead Clear Lake against Lower Lake. Also for Clear Lake, Kevin Burt gained 90 yards on 11 carries and a TD.
Passing — Middletown”s Matt Outen and Upper Lake”s Brandon Mendoza each passes for 101 yards during the weekend. Outen went 4-for-5 with two TDs and no interceptions against Willits. Mendoza was 5-for-12 with one interception. Clear Lake”s Ryan Richardson went 8-for-8 for 99 yards and two TDs against Lower Lake.
Receiving — Dylan Galusha had three catches for 99 yards and two TDs in Middletown”s big win. Kelseyville”s Chris Lopez caught three passes for 75 yards and a TD.
Highlights
Special teams — Middletown”s Danny Beckwith went 8-for-8 on his extra-point tries against Willits, improving his season total to 31-for-32 (he had one blocked against Clear Lake).
Defense — Middletown limited Willits to 91 total yards and the Wolverines never made it inside the Mustangs” 40-yard line. Jake Davis had a fumble recovery and a sack for Middletown, which has shut out three straight opponents.
Deuces are wild — Clear Lake”s Aaron Adams intercepted two Lower Lake passes, Kelseyville”s Mike Duman intercepted two Fort Bragg passes, and Upper Lake”s Brandon Bills sacked St. Helena quarterback Morgan Densberger twice.
You be the judge — When Rincon Valley Christian beat Calistoga 28-13 on Oct. 4, the Eagles successfully converted an onside kick with the game already in hand and then threw four passes instead of running out the clock. Earlier in the game, the Rincon Valley quarterback feigned going to a knee and instead passed the ball. Vince D”Adamo, who writes for both the St. Helena and Calistoga newspapers, took issue with Rincon Valley coach Bob Cazet”s play calling down the stretch. As a result, D”Adamo took a lot of flak from RVC supporters. In fact, Cazet claimed in a follow-up article that the onside kick was an accidental squib kick and that the reason the Eagles passed the ball near the end of the game was because their running backs are too small and might get hurt. Did RVC rub it in Calistoga”s face or was Cazet doing the right thing? As a sidenote, Calistoga coach Mike Ervin wouldn”t let his players shake hands with RVC players after the game. Also, another coach scouting the game apparently thought Cazet was full of beans. But you be the judge.
More on D”Adamo — He”s a legendary chick magnet in the Napa Valley, or so the rumors go. D”Adamo would neither confirm or deny said allegation. Also, as D”Adamo pointed out, “I”m happily married, so don”t get me in trouble with the wife.” Those wine-sipping, cheese-eating Napa Valley sports writers really know how to live.
Scorecard — I”m always asked which group of coaches do the best job of reporting results during a given sports season. In the fall sports season, it”s volleyball in first, cross country and football in a virtual tie for second, varsity girls” soccer fourth and boys” soccer a distant, distant, distant last (with the notable exception of Kelseyville”s Eduardo Ledesma, who alsways calls).
Perfect 9-for-9 — They may have a reputation as a running team, but that may be changing. Air Cardinal went 9-for-9 passing the ball on Friday night against Lower Lake. Ryan Richardson completed all eight of his passes, two for TDs, and Aaron Adams went 1-for-1 with a TD.
Speaking of Aaron Adams — The Clear Lake High junior rushed for 118 yards and a TD, passed for 7 yards and a TD, caught a pass for 16 yards and had two interceptions against Lower Lake.
That”s one mobile QB — St. Helena”s Morgan Densberger rushed for a team-high 128 yards against Upper Lake.
Government bailout — Also to cover the Dallas Cowboys.
Sarah Palin update — At least she can laugh at herself as her appearance on Saturday Night Live proved.
Big Pop Warner game — The undefeated Middletown Colts (6-0) travel to Lakeport to play the Westshore Vikings (5-1) Saturday night at Clear Lake High School. The Colts and Vikings are atop the Mendo-Lake Empire Youth Football League standings.
Good things (and bad) come in threes — Middletown has shut out three straight opponents and Lower Lake has been shut out three straight times.
Circle this one on your calendar — Lower Lake (0-6) plays at Willits (0-6) on Nov. 7, the second-to-last week of the regular season. I”m taking Lower Lake … and the under.
Going in the other direction –? The junior varsity teams at Middletown and Lower Lake improved to 6-0 with wins on Friday night.
Lost in the Twilight Zone — The San Francisco 49ers.
Emerging from the Twilight Zone — Tampa Bay Rays.
Gary Pickle update — He”s resting comfortably at Pickle Manor drinking beer and eating bon-bons.
Class A Dude”s Rankings North Coast Section Division IV Football Great 8:
1. Ferndale (6-0) — Idle, next up is Hoopa.
2. St. Patrick-St. Vincent (5-1) — Beat Kennedy 28-7.
3. Middletown (5-1) — Dominated Willits 56-0.
4. Fort Bragg (5-1) — Crushed Kelseyville 62-19.
5. Justin Siena (4-3) — Beat San Rafael 42-3.
6. Dougherty Valley (5-2) — Lost to Burton 20-9.
7. Berean Christian (4-2) — Beat St. Elizabeth 7-0.
8. St. Helena (4-2) — Beat Upper Lake 27-12.
