LOWER LAKE — The Willits Wolverines continued to pile up the yards and the points long after their 68-18 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans had been decided on Friday night during North Central League I North varsity football action at Gordon Sadler Field.
One week after running up the score in a 74-0 interlock win at Upper Lake, the Wolverines (2-0 North, 3-5 overall) left their starters in almost until the very end against the Trojans (0-3, 1-7), something that was not lost on Lower Lake coach Stan Weiper, whose team trailed 44-18 at halftime and 60-18 after three quarters.
“In the long run it”s not going to be positive for him,” Weiper said of the run-up tactics employed by first-year Willits coach Nat Collicott. “He”s going to have to live in the real world like the rest of us.”
Willits attempted onside or pooch kicks after each of its scores, even after the game had been decided.
“They”re obviously trying to get the ball back,” Weiper said.
Willits running back Dylan McGinty rushed for three touchdowns — the last two in the second half — and he added a fourth touchdown on a 65-yard interception return. He also ran for seven two-point conversions.
Lower Lake scored in the first quarter on a seven-yard pass from Joe Taylor to Carmari Onwuasoeze. E.J. Jermany”s 59-yard touchdown run late in the second half made it 44-12. Taylor and Onwuasoeze hooked up again a few minutes later, this time on a five-yard pass, to make it 44-18 at the half.
Willits called a timeout with one second left in the second quarter to stop the clock.
“They just wanted to run another play,” Weiper said.
Jermany finished with 108 yards on 11 carries.
Lower Lake travels to Middletown next Friday to play the 7-1 Mustangs, while Willits hits the road to play Fort Bragg (6-2).
