UPPER LAKE >> While the win might be a bit tardy in coming, the Upper Lake Cougars will take it.
All but eliminated from the North Central League II race on Tuesday in a 48-34 road loss against Roseland Prep in Santa Rosa, a game in which two Upper Lake starters were not available because they had received too many tardies at school, the Cougars rebounded on Friday with a solid 69-29 victory over the Calistoga Wildcats.
Upper Lake (9-2 league, 19-4 overall) is still mathematically alive in the league race, but the math doesn’t favor the Cougars. Sonoma Academy (11-0), like Upper Lake, has three games remaining, including one at Upper Lake on Wednesday. If the Cougars beat the Coyotes, they would still need Sonoma Academy to lose to either Technology or Tomales, which isn’t likely.
If Upper Lake’s goal of claiming some share of the league title doesn’t come to fruition, another goal of reaching and exceeding the 20-win mark is certainly alive and well. The Cougars can reach the 20-win plateau Tuesday at home against Rincon Valley Christian and exceed it with wins in either of their final two games — against Sonoma Academy on Wednesday and at St. Vincent on Thursday.
“We’ve got a big week coming up,” Upper Lake coach Mike Smith said. “We were in a dogfight with Rincon Valley Christian when we played them down there and we want to show them what it’s like to play in Upper Lake,” Smith said. “The Sonoma Academy game will be a playoff-type atmosphere. And a road trip to St. Vincent is never easy.
“We’ll see we what we’re made of,” Smith added of the Cougars’ final three regular-season games.
Regardless of their final placement in the NCL II standings, first or second, the Cougars are headed to the North Coast Section Division V playoffs where they’ll certainly have an opportunity to add to their victory total.
The Cougars had little trouble registering win No. 19 against Calistoga (2-10, 7-16) even though they didn’t open with their normal compliment of starters on the floor. Sophomore point guard Natalie Karlsson led Upper Lake’s offense with 18 points, five assists and eight steals.
“Natalie was pretty tough,” Smith said.
LaShaye Taylor added 15 points and Jojo Augustine finished with 11.
Teya Hernandez drew the start at center and contributed eight points.
“She played hard,” Smith said.
The Cougars also got a big lift from the defense played by Autum Martinez, according to Smith.
Martinez added six points and six offensive rebounds.
“Her defensive hustle is amazing,” Smith said.
Ahead 13-12 after one quarter, the Upper Lake offense took off from there. The Cougars had a 31-19 lead by halftime before putting the game away with a 27-7 third quarter.
Taylor, Karlsson and Martinez combined for 20 of Upper Lake’s points in the third period.
There was no junior varsity game on Friday as Calistoga’s JV team folded last month.
