By staff reports
UPPER LAKE — Well, at least they almost scored.
The Upper Lake Cougars fell 72-0 to Emery High School of Emeryville on Saturday in a North Central League II varsity football contest that played out much like the Cougars” first five games.
Upper Lake (0-3 league, 0-6) has been shut out in three straight games now, last scoring in the fourth quarter of a 40-14 loss to Lower Lake on Sept. 21. Taking into account what”s left on the Cougars” schedule this season — league games remaining against Calistoga (6-0), St.Vincent (3-2) and Tomales (4-2) — and it”s quite conceivable that coach Alex Stabiner”s squad won”t win in 2013. Whether the Cougars even score again remains an issue in doubt.
“Our blocking and tackling are not very good right now,” Stabiner said. “All we can do is keep working hard in practice and improving.”
The biggest contributor to an Upper Lake offense that generated just 77 yards of total offense wasn”t even playing football a few weeks ago. Greg Gagnon, a member of the school”s soccer team, caught three passes for 42 yards and looked pretty good doing it, making a couple of nice grabs.
“Greg catches everything thrown to him in practice,” Stabiner said.
Emery, a team with more talent and speed, simply had its way with the Cougars all day long. The Spartans (2-1, 4-2) scored on each of their first five possessions of the first half — and likely would have done so on possession No. 6 had they not ran out of time — en route to a 39-0 halftime lead.
Emery kept its starters in the game throughout the third quarter and tacked on 27 more points for a 66-0 lead.
Apart from allowing the Spartans free passage to the end zone time and time again, the Cougars barely even slowed them down. Of Emery”s nine combined rushing and passing touchdowns, four required just one play of offense and four others were quick two-play strikes. The Spartans” other touchdown came on a 55-yard punt return.
Upper Lake”s one moment of almost-glory came late in the first half. Driving from their own 27 to the Emery 4-yard line, with the Spartans providing 35 penalty yards along the way, the Cougars had the ball at the 4 facing second down and three yards to go. An incomplete pass brought up third down and the Cougars were called for holding, backing them up to the 19. A run for no gain and an incomplete pass ended the team”s only chance for points. They were never closer than the Emery 38 the rest of the way.
Dante Johnson had a big day for the Spartans with 106 yards rushing and two TDs, two touchdown catches for 36 yards, and a 55-yard punt return for a score. He also kicked a pair of extra points.
Emery rushed for 275 yards and passed for another 154 as quarterback Nate Walker completed 6 of 11 passes with four touchdowns.
Upper Lake committed the game”s only four turnovers.
