FORT BRAGG >> It was a season of streaks for the Clear Lake Cardinals, one that ended with a 28-16 loss to Fort Bragg on Friday night at Timberwolf Stadium in Fort Bragg.
The Timberwolves (6-1 league, 8-2 overall) clinched a tie for the North Central League I varsity football title even without star quarterback Kaylor Sullivan (3,038 passing yards, 29 TDs) in the starting lineup. Sullivan missed the game with a wrist injury he sustained late in a 20-14 win over Cloverdale a week earlier and his status for next week”s Division IV playoffs remains up in the air.
Clear Lake posted a 3-0 record in non-league play under first-year coach Darin Brodnansky before opening its league schedule. Hampered by numerous injuries, the Cardinals never won again although they played a handful of teams close, including leagues co-champions Fort Bragg and St. Helena, which clinched the other half of the title Friday night with a 34-14 win at Cloverdale.
“Even with all the injures we had, the kids played hard from the opening kickoff to the end of the game,” Brodnansky said. “You couldn”t ask more from this group of kids.”
Clear Lake (0-7, 3-7) fell behind 28-3 before reeling off 13 late points against the Timberwolves to narrow the gap. Dylan Williams scored on a 13-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to make it 28-9 and when the Cardinals got the ball back a few minutes later, Marcus Sugimoto took a 3-yard yard slant pass from quarterback Damian Lopez and turned it into an electric 98-yard touchdown.
“He split the safety and the cornerback and was gone,” Brodnansky said. “They couldn”t catch him.”
Clear Lake trailed only 7-3 at halftime. Cole Brodnansky kicked a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter for the Cardinals” first points. Fort Bragg led 21-3 after three quarters.
Lopez went 6-for-17 for 183 yards to lead the Clear Lake offense. Jared Strate caught five passes for 89 yards.
Clear Lake won the junior varsity game 22-8 to finish 4-2-1 in league play and 7-2-1 overall.
