LAKEPORT — It”s the start of interlock play between teams from the North Central League I North and South and the Clear Lake Cardinals, two-time defending South champs, won”t waste any time getting their feet wet as they host the Fort Bragg Timberwolves tonight at Don Owens Stadium.
A contender for the North title once again this year, the Timberwolves (1-0) steamrolled Richmond 68-8 a week ago in their season opener at Fort Bragg. Clear Lake (1-0) also put up some big numbers in week one, crushing Pierce 45-14 behind an offensive surge that generated 431 yards on the ground, including 292 yards and three TDs by running back Kevin Burt.
In other week two games involving Lake County teams, all taking place under the lights tonight, Lower Lake (0-1) hosts St. Vincent (1-0) of Petaluma, Middletown (0-1) plays its home opener against Upper Lake (1-0), and Kelseyville (0-1) calls on Cloverdale (0-1).
Fort Bragg (1-0) at Clear Lake (1-0)
“It”s definitely going to be a dogfight, one of the hardest games of the year,” Clear Lake coach Schad Schweitzer said. “We”re alike in a lot of ways. They”ve got a great running back (Jake Cimolino) and we”ve got a great running back in Kevin Burt; they”ve got skilled receivers and so do we.
“They”re definitely bigger in the line,” Schweitzer added.
Cimolino rushed for 126 yards and also had 106 yards in receptions in Fort Bragg”s win over Richmond. He scored five touchdowns.
Both teams also have quarterbacks who can throw the ball. Clear Lake”s Ryan Richardson passed for 147 yards and two TDs in the win over Pierce, while Brent Moyer, the son of Fort Bragg coaching veteran Jack Moyer, went 4-for-8 for 131 yards and three TDs against Richmond.
“They”ve always been well-coached,” Schweitzer said of the Moyer-led Timberwolves.
A win over Fort Bragg would certainly earn the Cardinals” some big-time respect in terms of the South-North interlock rivalry, according to Schweitzer.
“If we can get a win we”ll be recognized in both conferences,” he said. “I think it”s anyone”s night. Whoever comes to the game ready to play their A game is going to win it.”
Fort Bragg prevailed in last year”s meeting, which took place in Week 5, by a 28-6 count in Fort Bragg.
St. Vincent (1-0) at Lower Lake (0-1)
St. Vincent just missed advancing to the state small-school championship game last season, posting an 11-1 record. While duplicating that kind of success is hard to do, you can bet the Mustangs are going to give it a shot.
Coach Gary Galloway”s squad opened the season last week with a 33-18 victory at Tomales, a game that was close entering the fourth quarter. While the Mustangs lost several starters to graduation, they do return senior running back Kris Farinha and quarterback Josh Wheless, the team captains.
Lower Lake fell 43-20 to John Swett of Crockett last week, a game in which the Trojans gained 341 yards on the ground, including 208 yards and two TDs by E.J. Jermany.
“Putting together some defensive consistency is what we”re shooting for,” Lower Lake coach Stan Weiper said. “Our main concern is the defense.”
St. Vincent beat Lower Lake 28-0 a year ago in Petaluma.
“They look pretty solid, but it”s hard to tell against Tomales because they run that toss offense,” Weiper said.
St. Vincent runs a spread offense.
“Their running back and quarterback look like good players,” Weiper said. “We need to contain a little better on defense than we did last week. “Farinha … we need to try and slow him down.”
Kelseyville (0-1) at Cloverdale (1-0)
The Kelseyville Knights beat Cloverdale 22-16 last season in Kelseyville and coach Thad Owens is hoping his squad can repeat that success tonight in Cloverdale.
The Eagles, coached by Rick Berry, were 10-7 winners at McKinleyville last weekend. Kelseyville fell 48-7 at home to Berean Christian, a game in which the Knights were competitive for the first quarter.
“I felt better about how we went about that game than the last time we played them,” Owens said of the Berean Christian loss.
Now, with interlock play under way, Owens is looking for his players to step it up.
“We”re now lining up against teams we should be right there with,” Owens said. “This is where we”ll find out how we stack up.”
Addressing some of his team”s deficiencies against Berean Christian has been the goal in practice this week, according to Owens.
“We”ve had a good week in practice and I definitely feel a whole lot better,” he said.
As for Cloverdale, Owens said the Eagles are quick and tough.
“Their program has really come along the last few seasons,” Owens said.
While Mike Davis (knee) will miss the game, the Knights are otherwise healthy and ready to go. Jake Youngs has been called up from the junior varsity squad to provide depth at cornerback.
Upper Lake (1-0) at Middletown (0-1)
Holding onto the football has been the theme in practice all week for the Upper Lake Cougars as they prepare to meet the Middletown Mustangs (0-1), who are coming off a 23-15 loss to Salesian.
Upper Lake won its season opener last week, beating Potter Valley 16-6 despite eight turnovers.
“Fixing major mistakes is what we”ve been concentrating on,” said Upper Lake coach Airic Guerrero, a Middletown alum. “As long as we can hold onto the football and sustain some drives, we can keep it close. And if we”re in it at the end, we”ve got a chance to win.”
Though he”s played the Mustangs a handful of times during his coaching career, Guerrero said the Cougars need to adjust to the play-calling of Middletown”s new defensive coordinator, Moke Simon.
“From what I”ve seen, Moke seems to disguise things differently than Jim (Garrett). We need to figure it out,” Guerreo said.
While some of Guerrero”s other Upper Lake teams have been nervous about meeting the powerhouse Mustangs of the NCL I North in the annual interlock meeting, he said this year”s group is looking forward to the game.
“The kids have been pretty upbeat. In the past they”ve been scared,” he said. “I except to be in the game and hopefully we can pull one out.”
Middletown coach Bill Foltmer has already had an eventful week.
“If there”s ever a week they could get us, it”s this week,” Foltmer said. “I have six kids out, all starters and some of them two-way starters.”
The reasons for the absences range from A-Z.
“Out of the six, only one is a football injury,” Foltmer said.
Danny Beckwith, the team”s leading receiver and placekicker, is among those missing. He”s sick with the flu.
“In all my years of coaching, I”ve never gone into a week with this many players out,” Foltmer said. “But I expect those kids (filling in) to step in and play just like starters.
“I still like my chances,” Foltmer added.
Of the missing players, two are unlikely to be back in time for the Mustangs” next game against St. Vincent. On a more upbeat note, wide receiver Dylan Galusha might see his first action of the season next week.
“I expect him to play a little bit against St. Vincent,” Foltmer said.
While the Mustangs will definitely be nowhere near full strength for Upper Lake, Foltmer said it”s an opportunity for some of his players to get it going.
“There are some kids who need to step it up,” Foltmer said.
Two of those players are running back Max Dixon, who was held to four yards rushing in the Salesian loss, and wide receiver Ryan Johnson.
“We”ve been moving players all over the place in practice this week, but we”ll be fine,” Foltmer said.
Middletown won last year”s meeting 35-0.
