LOWER LAKE — Zobee Miller recorded a double-double you won”t see too often.
Miller, a freshman post for the Lower Lake High School junior varsity girls” basketball team, pulled down 26 rebounds and blocked 10 shots on Tuesday as the Trojans beat the Middletown Mustangs 42-22 in a North Central League I North battle for first place at Lower Lake High School.
Middletown could have clinched the undisputed league title with a victory. Instead, the Mustangs (6-1) will need a win on Friday in Willits to earn a co-championship as the Trojans (7-1) clinched a share of the North title in their final league game. Middletown handed Lower Lake its lone league loss, 34-19, on Jan. 28 in Middletown.
Ahead 21-14 at halftime, Lower Lake (22-3) dominated Middletown in the second half, allowing just eight points.
“We came out at half rested and went right after them,” Lower Lake coach Ray Silva said. “That”s something we”ve done all season long.”
The Trojans had no shortage of heroes in the one-sided victory. Besides Miller, who also had six points and five steals, Danni Welch added a double-double of her own with 11 points and 13 rebounds while Janiece LaValley had nine points, six assists, five rebounds and eight steals. Camry Richardson chipped in with six points, eight rebounds and four steals.
“I”m real proud of these girls,” Silva said.
Ashley Hart”s eight points paced Middletown and Jenny Hoefer added seven.
“That Middletown team has no quit in it,” Silva said. “It”s a fun team to play.”
Lower Lake wraps up its season Friday in Lakeport with a NCL I interlock game against the Clear Lake Cardinals.
In other JV girls” action Tuesday:
Clear Lake 52, St. Helena 42
At Lakeport, filling in for injured starter Anna Westin, freshman guard Heather Werner scored a season-best 13 points, including two 3-pointers, to lead the Clear Lake Cardinals past the St. Helena Saints in NCL I South action.
Clear Lake wrapped up its league schedule at 6-2 while improving to 15-6 overall. The Cardinals” only two South losses were to South champion Cloverdale.
Werner led a balanced Clear Lake attack that included 11 points by Miranda Strate, 10 by Morgan Psalmonds, six by Kelcie Reynolds and five by Jessica Sanders.
Clear Lake took a 45-35 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals” season finale is Friday at home against Lower Lake.
Kelseyville 34, St. Vincent 19
At Kelseyville, Jeannie Johnson”s 11 points powered the Kelseyville Knights past the St. Vincent Mustangs in NCL I interlock action.
Alex Pruett added eight points and Shannon Fontana had five for the Knights, who host Fort Bragg in the NCL I North and season finale for both teams on Friday at 6 p.m.
JV boys
Middletown 51, Lower Lake 39
At Middletown, Nate Snodgrass scored 21 point sand Tyler Rockwell added 11 as the Middletown Mustangs improved to 7-0 in the NCL I North standings with a victory over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Jesse Meldrum”s 23 points paced the Trojans, who trailed 26-16 at halftime.
“They came out and pretty much dominated us,” Lower Lake coach David Graham said. “We just lost to a better team.”
Blaine Amos had eight points for the Mustangs, who can wrap up a perfect league season with a victory at home Friday against Willits. Lower Lake closes out the season with a NCL I interlock game Friday at home against Clear Lake.
Zane Kazaka had nine points for the Trojans.
St. Helena 52, Clear Lake 33
At St. Helena, Clear Lake used a big second quarter to make a game of it but couldn”t sustain that momentum in the second half against the St. Helena Saints in NCL I South action.
“We were right there, playing good, playing good defense,” Clear Lake coach Jeremy Hopkins said of the Cardinals rallying to within 25-23 of the Saints by halftime. “But we just fell apart in the second half, too many turnovers. Seventeen of our 25 turnovers came in the second half.”
Gabe Strong scored all six of his points during a 16-point second quarter for Clear Lake.
“Gabe Strong played a good game, he had a lot of rebounds,” Hopkins said.
Ootie Lane and Andrew Jackson led the Cardinals with seven points apiece.
Clear Lake closes out league play at 5-3. The Cardinals, now 11-13 overall, play their final game Friday night in Lower Lake.
St. Vincent 43, Kelseyville 40
At Petaluma, Arnulfo Vargas and John Mark Reagan scored 12 points apiece but the Kelseyville Knights fell to the St. Vincent Mustangs in NCL I interlock play.
“Reagan had a good game on defense and so did Arnulfo,” Kelseyville coach Richard Martin said.
