By staff reports
UPPER LAKE ? Talent in the pipeline? You bet.
Upper Lake sophomore running back Ward Beecher rushed for 271 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday as the Cougars rallied in the second half to beat the Middletown Mustangs 28-7 in a non-league junior varsity football game at Upper Lake High School.
Half of Beecher”s 28 carries picked up first downs as the Cougars (2-0) rallied from a 7-6 first-half deficit to beat the Mustangs.
“It has been quite some time since an Upper Lake JV football team got the upper hand on a Middletown team that has a history of football excellence and is known for hitting,” Upper Lake coach Frank Gudmundson said. “We prepared our team going into the week by emphasizing the importance of hitting and blocking until the whistle blows.”
Upper Lake”s strategy on offense was fairly simple and straightforward, according to Gudmundson.
“We put the ball in the hands of Ward Beecher. We basically told him you will get the ball until they can stop you.”
Beecher ran for daylight all afternoon, cutting, jumping, spinning and stretching out for the many first downs he gained for the Cougars” offense. The elusive running back benefited from solid blocking up front by linemen Jon Karlson, Javi Gonzales, Ian Seevers, Tim Duvall and Conner McVey, and tight ends Wesley Thaxton and Joey Valdez. His longest run of the day was a 75-yard touchdown.
Upper Lake”s other score came on a bootleg by quarterback Travis Coleman, who called the play himself.
The Cougars” leaders on defense were Thaxton with six tackles, including a sack, and four assists, and Justin Phelps, who had a sack. Upper Lake travels to Fort Bragg on Friday.
