KELSEYVILLE — The Cloverdale Eagles scored on a quarterback keeper with 1.5 seconds remaining to stun the Kelseyville Knights 34-29 in a North Central League I varsity football game pitting two 0-5 teams Friday night at Kelseyville High School.
Kelseyville extended a 21-20 lead to 29-20 with 5:50 remaining on Geno Poloni”s 8-yard touchdown run and John Mark Reagan”s conversion run.
“I went for two to go up by nine,” Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara said.
Cloverdale (1-2 league, 1-5 overall) scored on its next possession and successfully converted its two-point conversion run to cut the lead to 29-28. Kelseyville (0-3, 0-6) was on the move in the closing minutes when it lost a fumble at the Cloverdale 20-yard line. The Eagles returned the fumble to the Kelseyville 40 and proceeded to drive for their winning touchdown.
The lost fumble was Kelseyville”s only turnover of the game.
“The kids played hard for four quarters, but we couldn”t get it done,” said a disappointed Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara. “Cloverdale ran its off-tackle play at will ? we couldn”t stop it. There are so many things we could have done better.”
The Eagles couldn”t stop the Knights on the ground either. Poloni finished with 224 yards on 28 carries while Stephen Beck added 107 yards on eight carries with one TD. Reagan ran for another score.
Kelseyville held a 7-6 lead after one quarter and a 14-6 lead at halftime. It was 14-14 entering the final period.
The Knights forced three turnovers and Pedro Hernandez had two of them ? a fumble recovery and an interception.
Kelseyville won the JV game 50-6.
Kelseyville hits the road next Friday to play Fort Bragg (1-2, 3-3).
