LAKE COUNTY >> There will be a Week 12 of the 2014 high school football season in Lake County thanks to the Middletown Mustangs, who punched their ticket to the North Coast Section Division V quarterfinals with a 49-0 first-round victory over the Tomales Braves on Saturday night at Bill Foltmer Field in Middletown.
While the Mustangs (8-3) extended their season by at least one more game, the Lower Lake Trojans (5-6) and Kelseyville Knights (5-6) reached the end of the road following first-round playoff losses in Division IV on Friday night. Del Norte dispatched the Trojans 56-0 while Justin-Siena rolled past Kelseyville 42-0.
If the statistical side of this week”s column appears a bit slanted toward Middletown, there”s a good reason. It rained and it poured in Crescent City, turning Lower Lake”s stat sheets into a pile of mush, according to Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy. Kelseyville simply didn”t have anyone keeping stats against Justin-Siena, according to coach Mike McGuire, which to quote one of my favorite lines out of the movie No Country for Old Men, “Yes sir, it”s a bit unusual.”
Anyway, here are the highlights and the lowlights from Week 11.
Statistics
Rushing — Middletown”s starters were limited to about a quarter and a half against Tomales, but Anthonie Guzman still had 65 yards on five carries with a touchdown. Wyatt Hall added 28 yards on four carries, including two TDs. Reserves Cesar Macias and Johnny Kelley had 53 and 50 yards, respectively, each with a TD. Del Norte”s defense held Lake County rushing leader Isazah King to minus-yardarge in the first half on Friday night in Crescent City.
Passing — Connor Armstrong certainly didn”t hurt his quarterback rating on Saturday night. The Middletown junior attempted only one pass and completed it — a 25-yard touchdown strike to tight end Cody Chorjel. Lower Lake freshman quarterback Hokulani Wickard threw his first pass at the varsity level against Del Norte.
Receiving — Cody Chorjel (see above) had one pass thrown in his direction, caught it, and walked into the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown that all but sealed Tomales” fate in the opening seconds of the second quarter.
Highlights
Special teams — Middletown placekicker Tyler Holt attempted seven extra-point kicks and made them all in the win over Tomales. Middletown”s Anthonie Guzman returned a punt 60 yards to set up a Mustangs score.
Defense — Antonie Guzman”s 55-yard interception return for a touchdown not only was his fifth interception of the season, tying him for the Lake County lead, but it was his third pick six of the 2014 season, tying him for the Lake County lead (with Lower Lake”s Isazah King in both categories).
Down and distance — Del Norte”s reserves had a first-and-goal from the Lower Lake 4-yard line in the second half on Friday night and ending up punting on fourth-and-goal from their own 38.
Done, done and done — The halftime scores in all three playoff games involving Lake County teams had the same theme ? blowout. Middletown led 35-0, Kelseyville trailed 35-0 and Lower Lake trailed 36-0.
And then there were two — Middletown (8-3) and St. Helena (10-1) are the only two public schools remaining out of the eight teams reaching the Division V quarterfinal round.
He”ll be missed — Tomales head coach Leon Feliciano is stepping down after 19 seasons at the school.
In the way-back machine — Once upon a time, Middletown vs. Tomales was a big-time game in the North Central League II.
It”s a first — Middletown and Stellar Prep are meeting for the first time on Friday night when they square off in the Division V quarterfinals in Middletown at 7 p.m. One team will be moving on to the semifinals, most likely against No. 1 seed Salesian, while the other team moves on to basketball and wrestling season.
Why statistics are misleading — Middletown outgained Tomales by only a 254-145 margin on Saturday.
Reserves, then the reserve reserves — Middletown began to rotate in reserves, first on offense and then on defense, with 5:30 left in the second quarter on Saturday night against Tomales. By the end of the game, a second wave of Middletown reserves, primarily players called up from the JV squad, were mopping up. There wasn”t a single starter left on the field.
Workhorse for Tomales — Senior running back Willy Lepori carried the ball 21 times for 65 yards and also had two receptions.
Exactly right — One Middletown coach hit the nail on the head about Saturday”s first-round pairing against Tomales: “They”re not a bad team, they”re just overmatched.”
Cameron Burston — The name of Stellar Prep”s 6-foot-4, 218-pound senior quarterback. He”s fast and can throw the ball a mile, according to Middletown coach Bill Foltmer. “He”s the real deal,” Foltmer said.
Turned around — In only his second season, Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy got the Trojans back into the playoffs for the first time in seven years. While the 56-0 outcome against a superior Del Norte team wasn”t the outcome he was looking for, Gaddy said the Trojans accomplished the majority of their goals this season, including playing an 11th game. Gaddy certainly has other boxes to check off next season, including winning records in league play and overall play, back-to-back postseason appearances (last accomplished in the 1990s) and a playoff victory (last accomplished in 1992).
Volleyball kudos — To the Kelseyville Knights for reaching the quarterfinals in Division IV, which is no small task. They gave Justin-Siena two competitive games in a three-set loss on Saturday night in Napa.
Cross country kudos — To those Lake County runners who will travel to Hayward this Saturday to compete in the North Coast Section Championships, which is an open meet. If you”re looking to gain some valuable experience, this is the place to do it. The meet takes place at Hayward High School.
Soccer wrap — No. 1 seed Sonoma Academy whipped No. 2 seed St. Vincent 5-1 in the Division III girls” championship game on Saturday at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park. It”s the second straight sectional title for the Coyotes, who went undefeated (24-0-1) this season.
Perfect season so far — Oakland Raiders, 0-10.
Yeah, good picks — KNBR”s big-time pro and college prognosticator had Notre Dame beating Northwestern by at least 17 points and the 49ers beating the New York Giants by at least a couple of touchdowns. Final scores: Northwestern 43, Notre Dame 40; 49ers 16, Giants 10.
A month from today — The 21st annual Record-Bee Hoop Classic boys” basketball tournament tips off Dec. 18 at Lower Lake High School”s new gym. Junior varsity and varsity teams from Clear Lake, Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Middletown compete in a round-robin format during the three-day tournament. Shooting contests are Dec. 19. All proceeds benefit Lower Lake High School”s athletic programs.
Will there be a Week 13? — Ask Bill Foltmer. It”s up to him and the Mustangs.
Same old, same old — For Middletown varsity boys” basketball coach G.J. Rockwell, who opens the season every year with half of his team playing football … for several weeks.
From the n-o spells no file — Sure, you can read my story before it comes out in print … and the next day I get to tell you how to do your job and we see how that goes. Fair enough?
