WILLITS — Marnin Pyzer coached his final high school game for the Middletown Mustangs on Friday night, watching his varsity girls go down to defeat to the Willits Wolverines, 63-26, in the North Central League I North and regular-season finale for both teams at Willits.
The victory gives the Wolverines (7-1) a share of the North championship. They will host co-champ Lower Lake (7-1) today at 4 p.m. in a tiebreaker game, the winner gaining the league”s automatic playoff berth in the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. The loser can still reach the playoffs as an at-large team.
Middletown finishes 4-4 in the North standings and 8-17 overall in Pyzer”s 13th and final season with the team.
Willits took control of the game with a 19-3 first quarter.
“We didn”t handle the press very good in the first quarter and it was an uphill fight for us from there,” Pyzer said.
The Wolverines increased their lead to 37-9 by halftime.
“The girls kept playing hard,” Pyzer said.
Brenna Jessup”s 13 points paced the Wolverines.
In other girls” action Friday:
Fort Bragg 72, Kelseyville 57
At Kelseyville, the Fort Bragg Timberwolves scored a season-high 72 points to beat the Kelseyville Knights in the NCL I North and season finale for both teams. Fort Bragg (1-7) and Kelseyville (1-7) finish tied for last in the league standings.
“They were hitting their shots and making their free throws,” Kelseyville coach Deanna Goff said.
Fort Bragg led 14-7 after one quarter, 33-25 at halftime and 59-45 after three quarters.
Because it was Kelseyville”s last game and last home game, Goff started all five of her seniors.
“It was senior night,” Goff said. “The seniors started the game on the court and ended it.”
Liz Berry, one of the five seniors, made her final game a good one with 15 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Another senior, Morgan Shannon, had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
“The kids were having some fun,” Goff said of the season”s final game.
Kelseyville finishes 9-15 overall.
Sabrina Rowan”s 23 points paced Fort Bragg
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St. Helena 62, Upper Lake 27
At St. Helena, the St. Helena Saints rolled past the Upper Lake Cougars in the NCL I South and regular-season finale for both teams.
Upper Lake finishes 0-8 in league and 5-19 overall.
“We were definitely outmanned physically,” Upper Lake coach Mike Cox said. “We tried a box-and-one on (Maddy) Densberger and made her work more than last time.”
Hollie Depina”s 14 points paced the Saints (5-3) and Densberger finished with 13.
Katherine Edmonds” 14 points led the Cougars, who return the majority of their players next season. They do lose senior Casandra Logan, who scored six points in her final high school game.
“She played a good game,” Smith said.
Boys” basketball
St. Helena 84, Upper Lake 51
At Upper Lake, the St. Helena Saints clinched the outright NCL I South championship with a win over the Upper Lake Cougars in the league and regular-season finale for both teams.
Upper Lake wins the South with a 7-1 mark. Upper Lake ends up 0-8 in league and 1-23 overall.
Corey Barrett”s 15 points led a balanced St. Helena attack while Cole Ballentine and Peter Delbondio added 13 apiece.
Mike Sutton scored 16 points in his final high school game to lead Upper Lake. Jared Wade added 14 points and Billy Armstrong had nine.
St. Helena led 31-15 after one quarter and 56-23 at halftime.
“They were 23-for-25 from the field in the first half,” Upper Lake coach Chris Cisneros said of the Saints, who scored 100 points in their previous game against Clear Lake. “They didn”t miss much all night.”
Upper Lake loses five seniors to graduation ? Sutton, Armstrong, Joe Ruiz, Mark Umalin and Tyler Warren. Warren had to sit out the contest with a broken jaw, according to Cisneros.
“As far as just growing as a team from day one of practice to now, I”m happy with where they”re at,” Cisneros said after completing his first season as the Cougars” coach. “I wish I could have the team a few more weeks. We”re definitely making progress.”
Upper Lake tied a Lake County record for most losses in a single season and set records for fewest wins (one) and worst winning percentage (.042).
Lower Lake vs. Clear Lake (canceled)
NCL I Interlock varsity boys” and girls” games between the Lower Lake Trojans and Clear Lake Cardinals were canceled because of weather-related concerns. The Clear Lake boys close out the season at 8-16 and the Lower Lake boys at 6-19. Clear Lake”s girls finish up at 9-12.
The Lower Lake girls, the co-NCL I North champions along with Willits, travel to Willits today for a tiebreaker game to determine which team gets the automatic playoff berth for the upcoming North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. The loser can still apply for an at-large berth. Tip-off is 4 p.m. at Willits High School.
Lower Lake”s girls enter play 17-8.
