LAKE COUNTY — In bowling the ninth frame is referred to as the foundation frame, meaning it”s the launching point from which to build a strong finish. The same applies to at least two of Lake County”s football teams entering week nine of the 10-week regular season.
The Middletown Mustangs (2-0, 7-1) sit atop the North Central League I North standings while the Clear Lake Cardinals (3-0, 3-5) are alone atop the South. Wins tonight would wrap it up — in Clear Lake”s case — or could close it out — in Middletown”s situation.
Middletown plays its final road game of the regular season tonight against the Lower Lake Trojans (0-3, 4-4) at Gordon Sadler Field in Lower Lake. Clear Lake also hits the road to take on the St. Helena Saints (2-0, 3-5).
Going into week nine, here”s how the North and South races shake out.
North
? A Middletown win, which would be the Mustangs” eighth in a row, combined with a Fort Bragg victory tonight in Willits would guarantee the Mustangs nothing less than a co-championship as well as the North”s automatic playoff berth. Even if Middletown went on to lose at home to Willits on Nov. 12, the Mustangs would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the only two teams that could possibly tie them — Fort Bragg (1-1) or Kelseyville (2-1). If Willits knocks off Fort Bragg, the Wolverines” game the following week at Middletown would mean a heck of a lot more and could possibly determine the North”s automatic playoff berth.
South
? The title picture in the South is a simple proposition. If Clear Lake wins, the Cardinals take the undisputed league title and earn an automatic playoff berth. If St. Helena wins, the Saints are guaranteed no worse than a co-championship and the league”s automatic playoff berth, even if they lose the following week at Upper Lake.
In other games involving county teams tonight, the Kelseyville Knights (6-2) host the St. Vincent Mustangs (2-6) in NCL I interlock action, and the Upper Lake Cougars (0-2, 1-7) travel to Cloverdale to meet the winless Eagles (0-2, 0-8) in a battle of NCL I South cellar dwellers.
Lower Lake at Middletown
The Lower Lake Trojans, losers of three straight, would like nothing better than to derail the Middletown express as it zooms toward a third straight NCL I North championship. First they”ll have to score some points against the Mustangs” stingy defense, something no other county team has been able to do this season.
In three of its previous wins, Middletown outscored Kelseyville, Clear Lake and Upper Lake by a combined 154-0.
“They”ve got a really strong club,” Lower Lake coach Stan Weiper said. “We”ll see what we can do against them, we”ve got a few goals for ourselves.”
Weiper, with 178 career victories to his credit, believes the Mustangs are looking every bit as lethal as last year”s North Coast Section Division IV champion, Fort Bragg.
“They have an excellent defense and an extremely tough running game,” Weiper said. “Fort Bragg did a great job of handling the big boys last year in the playoffs and I think Middletown has an excellent chance of doing the same. I”d like to see them do well and represent our league.”
Lower Lake is shooting for at least a .500 overall record and that means winning one of its two remaining games. The Trojans finish up the regular season on Nov. 12 against Clear Lake in Lakeport.
“We still have a couple of shots left to get to .500 and that”s a goal for us,” Weiper said. “We”re hoping to make a decent showing (tonight).”
Three players who sat out last week”s 34-18 loss to Willits with injuries — running back E.J. Jermany, tight end Justin Simms and lineman/linebacker Antonio Hines — will play tonight, according to Weiper.
The Middletown Mustangs are preparing for the best Lower Lake team they could possibly face, according to Middletown coach Bill Foltmer.
“We don”t take anybody lightly,” Foltmer said. “Our theme this week is respect your opponent. You”re talking about a coach (Weiper) who has won two North championships (one at Kelseyville and one at Lower Lake). The game”s not just won. You have to go out and prove yourself every Friday night.”
While Lower Lake”s defense has struggled mightily this season, the Trojans have moved the ball against all of their opponents.
“I”ve looked at all the game films ? no one”s stopped them,” Foltmer said. “On the other hand, no one has stopped us and we have stopped people (on defense).”
Middletown practiced more than three hours Thursday preparing for Lower Lake, according to Foltmer.
“These are the games that make me more nervous,” Foltmer said. “Here”s a game on paper you”re supposed to win. The big games take care of themselves. If you can”t get up for those you”re not a championship team.”
Middletown running back David Pike enters play with 1,171 yards and 21 rushing TDs (22 overall). He needs two more rushing touchdowns to match the school record of 23 set last year by teammate Jake Davis, the Mustangs” fullback.
Middletown quarterback Kyle Brown is also over 1,000 yards (1,023).
Clear Lake at St. Helena
The Clear Lake Cardinals will start Tyler Beets at quarterback as Steven Edwards is out for the season with a shoulder injury, according to Clear Lake coach Schad Schweitzer.
“Tyler was a backup in his JV days to Ryan (Richardson),” Schweitzer said. “He knows the offense being a tight end and he does have quarterback experience.”
If Beets struggles, the Cardinals may switch to Jaime Lopez, who will start the game at running back. Lopez played the second half at quarterback a week ago in Clear Lake”s 35-18 win over Upper Lake. Edwards was knocked out of that game late in the first half.
“Tyler”s nervous as heck but I think we can rally behind him,” Schweitzer said.
As for the rest of the Cardinals, their disposition is a combination of “anxious, nervous, excited,” according to Schweitzer.
“The best thing we can do is just go out and play,” Schweitzer said.
What will it take to knock off the Saints?
“We need to be more physical ? that”s how we”re going to do it,” Schweitzer said.
Another key is limiting the damage done by St. Helena”s Charles Bertoli, a junior running back.
“No. 12 is their go-to back. If we can contain him inside the box, we”ll have a better shot at beating them,” he added.
Clear Lake has called up two JV players for the game, Omar Vazquez and Luke Punzalan.
If you can”t attend the game, KVYN (99.3 FM) in St. Helena will do a live broadcast and the game feed is also available on the Internet at KVYN.com.
St. Vincent at Kelseyville
Fresh off a 56-0 loss at the hands of Middletown, a loss that snapped Kelseyville”s six-game winning streak, the Knights can start a new winning streak tonight against St. Vincent, which also failed to score last week in a 35-0 loss to St. Helena.
Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara said the Knights need to come out fired up and he”s worried about a letdown following the Middletown game.
“I think there is a little bit of a hangover,” Ishihara said. “It has been a challenge this week in practice to get the kids to rebound and rally.”
Bottom line for the Knights, according to Ishihara, is that it”s better to go into the playoffs with a two-game winning streak if they can get past St. Vincent this week and Fort Bragg next week.
“Eight and two is a lot better than 6-4 or 7-3,” Ishihara said.
St. Vincent is rebuilding this season.
“They run the spread and throw the ball more than anyone we”ve seen this year,” Ishihara said.
Wide receiver/safety Mike Davis will play this week after leaving the Middletown game with a concussion.
“He”ll start,” Ishihara said.
Kelseyville”s primary running threats, Nick Rodrigues and Geno Poloni, are both dinged up but expected to see action.
“I”m not sure how much they”ll be able to play,” Ishihara said.
Upper Lake at Cloverdale
The Upper Lake Cougars can get out of the South cellar with a win over the Eagles at Daly Field.
Upper Lake”s offense showed some signs of life a week ago in a 35-18 loss to the Clear Lake Cardinals as running back Jason Harlan rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Harlan is 86 yards shy of 1,000 for the season.
