LAKE COUNTY — The Upper Lake Cougars moved above the .500 mark Friday night without taking a shot. And the Lower Lake Trojans are 1-0 in their new gym without having played a game there yet.
How”s that possible?
The St. Helena High School varsity boys” basketball team announced on Friday that it was forfeiting its North Central League I South opener against Upper Lake, scheduled for Friday night in Upper Lake, and its NCL I interlock game tonight in Lower Lake for disciplinary reasons.
“They told me it was for disciplinary reasons,” Upper Lake coach Forrest Stogner said. “They told me there was going to be a board meeting Tuesday to determine if they would forfeit the rest of the season.”
Upper Lake improves to 8-7 with the forfeit and to 1-0 in the NCL I South standings with its fourth straight victory.
St. Helena”s forfeit to Lower Lake means that the Trojans will have to wait until Tuesday before they play their first game in their new gym. Lower Lake will host Fort Bragg, the Trojans” NCL I North opener.
While Lower Lake”s varsity boys” game with St. Helena won”t take place tonight, the Lower Lake junior varsity girls and boys and the Lower Lake varsity girls will play St. Helena. The JV girls tip off at 3 p.m., the JV boys follow at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity girls play at 6 p.m.
“We”ve already won in our new gym before we ever played in it,” Lower Lake coach Marty Udy said. “I wonder if that”s happened before?”
Udy said St. Helena athletic director Tom Hoppe did not tell him why the St. Helena squad was forfeiting the game.
“All I know is there was an issue that happened at school involving members of the St. Helena boys” varsity basketball team. It was dealt with to the point where they were forfeiting tonight (Friday) against Upper Lake and against us.”
Hoppe had “no comment” for the press.
The forfeit victory moves Lower Lake to 4-13 on the season.
Udy said he still expects to see a large crowd for tonight”s three games with St. Helena because of the new gym opening.
“People are curious and were probably going to show up before our game anyway,” Udy said.
