KELSEYVILLE — Even though the Kel-seyville Knights fell 5-0 to the visiting Willits Wolverines in the North Central League I opener for both of these varsity girls” soccer teams on Tuesday, first-year coach Cheryl Mostin said her team is making strides toward being competitive.
“The difference between our first game and second game was evident,” Mostin said. “The girls are learning real fast.”
Kelseyville (0-1 league, 0-2 overall) hadn”t played since a 9-2 season-opening loss to Upper Lake on Aug. 30.
Trailing Willits 3-0 after one half, the Knights showed more life in the second half, according to Mostin.
“We had more shots on goal, we were a lot more aggressive,” she said.
Standouts for the Knights were keeper Shana Cossey, who Mostin said made some “impossible stops,” center-fullback Chelsea Hamner and center-midfielder Tori Wayment.
In other NCL I girls” soccer openers Tuesday:
Middletown 17, Lower Lake 0
At Middletown, Kelly Wilkinson scored five times and had two assists, Hannah Diaz added four goals and Brittany Cash had three as the Middletown Mustangs opened league play with a lopsided victory over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Kaylee Cash scored twice for the Mustangs (1-0, 4-1) and Paloma Colacion, Emily Reed and Alicia Solomon added goals.
“It was a good chance to give my reserves lots of playing time,” Middletown coach Lee Hoage said. “I also experimented with some lineups, moved some starters around.”
Middletown led 9-0 at halftime.
Clear Lake 4, Fort Bragg 1
At Lakeport, bouncing back from a 5-1 non-league loss on Monday to Roseland Prep, the Clear Lake Cardinals defeated the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in the NCL I opener for both teams.
Telia Paskaly, out of the lineup against Roseland Prep, returned to scored three goals, the first two on penalty kicks, to give the Cardinals (1-0, 5-1-1) a 2-0 lead. Emily Norwood added a goal in the second half and Paskaly scored again to give the Cardinals some breathing room.
“It was nice to get Telia back,” Clear Lake coach Paul Larrea said. “She puts a lot of pressure on the defense and that frees up others to do a lot of things.”
Fort Bragg”s only goal came on a penalty kick in the second half.
Clear Lake received solid play from sweeper Amely Ballesteros and freshman Hannah Norwood, who filled in at forward, wing and midfielder.
“She did just a great job,” Larrea said.
“It was just a good all-around game for us,” Larrea added.
Boys” soccer
Kelseyville 6, Willits 1
At Willits, Wences Rojas scored less than a minute into the game and the Kelseyville Knights never looked back in a league-opening road win against the Willits Wolverines.
“They played tough,” Kelseyville coach Eduardo Ledesma said of the Knights, who improved to 3-2 overall. “After we put the first goal in, they (Wolverines) really came after us, but we counterattacked real well.”
Oscar Martinez scored the first three of his four goals in the first half to give the Knights a comfortable 4-0 cushion by halftime. He added another goal in the second half and Jorge Aguilar also scored for the Knights.
Martinez, a returning All-League forward, also had two assists for the Knights.
While Martinez starred on offense for the Knights, the contributions of keepers Adrian Mejia and Drew Ashby also were significant, according to Ledesma.
“They did a great job,” he said.
Another standout was defender Max Lehman, according to Ledesma.
“He did a really, really good job.”
Kelseyville tries for a second straight league road win Thursday in St. Helena.
Lower Lake 5, Middletown 4
At Middletown, Julian Llamas” second goal of the game late in the second half snapped a 4-4 tie and lifted the Lower Lake Trojans to a NCL I-opening victory over the Middletown Mustangs.
The game seesawed back and forth. Lower Lake opened up a 2-0 lead in the first half but Middletown rallied to tie it 2-2 at halftime. The Trojans moved back out to a 4-2 lead in the second half before the Mustangs clawed their way into a 4-4 tie, Cody Astley”s free kick knotting the score midway through the second half.
“I think our players know we can play together as a team,” Middletown coach Chuck Rannells said. “We didn”t have any one-goal games last season. We got blown out a lot, so I think we”re turning the corner.”
Astley had two goals for Middletown (0-1, 0-3) while Eric Lopez and Brandon Rannells each had one.
Felipe Cordova, Alejandro Macias and Orlando Orozco all scored for the Trojans (1-0).
