UPPER LAKE — Add together 10 wins and the total is perfection.
The Upper Lake High School junior varsity football team capped a flawless season Saturday with a 30-6 victory over the St. Helena Saints in a North Central League I South game at Upper Lake High School.
Winning for the 10th time in 10 games, Upper Lake capped a perfect season by winning the outright league championship, the one major prize that eluded them a year ago when St. Helena beat the Cougars in their final game.
“I told them that if they keep improving and playing until the whistle ? this team could be it ? 10-0,” Upper Lake head coach Frank Gudmundson said of a talk he gave to the team following the all-county scrimmage on Sept. 3 at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport. “At the time we knew we had talent but you need heart, dedication and discipline. Two of the three you can enforce and work on everyday. The third is heart … there is no drill for that. You”ve just got to have it. I found out they did.”
Upper Lake”s 10-0 mark eclipsed the 9-1 record posted by the school”s talented 1985 club, which paved the way for two straight appearances by the varsity Cougars in the old North Coast Section Class A championship game in 1986 and ”87. They won the section title in 1987, the first of two Class A titles for Upper Lake.
Avenging a loss to St. Helena in the 2009 season finale made Saturday”s win that much sweeter, according to Gudmundson.
“We were in the same position last year with St. Helena ? winner take all and they took it. This year it belonged to us.”
Sophomore running back Ward Beecher closed out a stellar season with 113 yards on 21 carries, including two touchdowns and two two-point conversion. He finishes the year with 24 touchdowns and 1,750 yards.
Joey Valdez added 126 yards on only six carries with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Alex Castillo also topped 100 yards (113 on eight carries).
“I would like to give credit to the offensive line. Jon Karlsen, Tim Duvall, Ian Seevers, Javi Gonzales, Thomas Santana, Aaron Ables, Alex Kronich, Conner Mcvey and Justin Phelps were the charge behind the running of Ward Beecher,” Gudmundson said.
Safety Wes Thaxton anchored the defense with six tackles and an interception. Inside linebackers Castillo and Conner McVey and cornerback Travis Coleman added five tackles apiece. End Valdez had four tackles and a forced fumble. He caused eight turnovers and had a team-best 13 sacks on the season.
Gudmundson also had high praise for his coaching staff of Tom Cox, Alex Stabiner, Billy Binns and Dalton Steptoe as well as equipment managers Aaron Kronich and Jim Green, box coach Donnie Meri, and film assistants Chris McVey and Mike Duvall.”
