LAKE COUNTY — The biggest drama unfolding as Week 10 of the high school football season arrives doesn”t involve a Lake County team, at least not directly.
Two games, both occurring outside the county, will decide the league championships in both the North Central League I and NCL II races. One takes place tonight in Willits, the other on Saturday in Petaluma.
In the NCL I, the schedule makers couldn”t have done any better had they tried. The St. Helena Saints, 9-0 on the season and 6-0 in the league standings, head up Highway 101 to play the Willits Wolverines (8-1, 6-0) in a winner-take-all contest at Maize Field. If the game ends in a tie, the California tiebreaker will decide the champion.
In the NCL II, the Tomales Braves, 4-0-1 in the league standings and 6-2-1 overall, control their own destiny. If they tie or beat St. Vincent on Saturday, they are the undisputed league champs. However, should Tomales lose, the NCL II will have co-champions provided the Upper Lake Cougars (3-1-1) win on Friday night in Calistoga against the winless Wildcats (0-9).
Week 10, the final week of the regular season, is three days long this year because of the Veterans Day holiday on Friday. As a result, several teams — including four from Lake County — opted to play on Thursday instead of Friday.
Clear Lake (4-2, 4-5) visits Middletown (4-2, 5-4) tonight in a battle for sole possession of third place in the NCL I standings. The winner will also have the advantage in terms of securing an at-large berth in the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs.
Also tonight, in a game that is the exact opposite of St. Helena-Willits, the Kelseyville Knights (0-9) host the Lower Lake Trojans (0-8-1). The only thing on the line in this one is pride as both teams seek to avoid a winless 2011 campaign.
On Sunday, the North Coast Section will select at-large teams and then seed the field in all five divisions. Upper Lake is a shoo-in to reach the Division V playoffs, while the winner of tonight”s Middletown-Clear Lake game will have a shot of making the Division IV field.
Lower Lake at Kelseyville
“I expect Kelseyville to give us their best game,” Lower Lake coach Mike Huffman said of the final game in his rookie season as the Trojans” varsity coach. “I think we”ve got a good shot. How we do is up to the kids.”
While Huffman said he hoped to have a win or two by now, he said the foundation has been established for future success at the school.
“I”m very excited, there are lots of things to build on,” he added.
Changing the culture of the football program by demanding accountability and enforcing team and school rules is also under way, according to Huffman.
“I also have one staff now for the JVs and varsity, so the kids will know my program from the ninth grade up,” Huffman said.
With nearly his entire team returning next season, Huffman is expecting much better things in 2012.
“I”ve got the offense I want in place and now I just have to tweak the defense a little bit,” Huffman said.
Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara said the Knights have played well each of the last four weeks — losing by four, three, 10 and five points — with nothing to show for it.
“It just hasn”t happened for us,” Ishihara said. “Hopefully we can get that first win. We”re looking pretty good injury-wise.”
The Knights will have to keep a close eye on Lower Lake wide receiver Alphonsos Daniels, who has 43 catches for 753 yards, both county bests.
“We can”t give up a big play to him,” Ishihara said.
“They”re physical and I”m sure they going to come at us with everything they have,” Ishihara added of the Trojans.
Clear Lake at Middletown
The Middletown Mustangs are hoping to close out an up-and-down regular season with their third straight victory, while the Clear Lake Cardinals are just a win shy of reaching the .500 mark coach Milo Meyer said was a team goal at season”s start.
“If we win, we”re going to go,” stated Middletown coach Bill Foltmer, who said he originally considered not applying for the playoff even if the Mustangs beat Clear Lake. “I don”t think we”ll draw one of the top four teams in the first round, so we might be able to sneak out an upset over somebody. It will be a good experience for the younger kids and good for the program to do it.”
And if Middletown loses to Clear Lake?
“If we lose, forget about it,” Foltmer said.
Clear Lake coach Milo Meyer said tonight”s game, win or lose, will be the final one for the Cardinals.
“I don”t think we”ll apply if we win,” Meyer said. “No, I don”t think we”ll go.”
Clear Lake enters tonight”s game minus two key starters who are out for disciplinary reasons.
n Upper Lake at Calistoga
First-year coach Alex Stabiner wraps up his first regular season Friday night against Calistoga at the Calistoga Fairgrounds. On Saturday, he expects to be on the sidelines in Petaluma watching Tomales and St. Vincent knock heads.
“I”ve got to check with the wife and kids first,” Stabiner said of a road trip to St. Vincent. “But that should be a good game. It”s on St. Vincent”s turf, at their home and they need it (a win) more than anybody.”
St. Vincent, at 2-3 in league and 4-5 overall, can”t qualify for the Division V playoffs unless it wins the game.
The Cougars first have to beat Calistoga, a team they easily handled 44-0 on Oct. 22 at Upper Lake.
“By no means are we looking past them,” Stabiner said of the Wildcats. “They didn”t let St. Vincent score until the second quarter the last time those two teams played. They are playing some good defense.”
