LAKEPORT >> The all-out passing war between sophomore quarterbacks Hokulani Wickard of Lower Lake and Alex Adams of Clear Lake never materialized on Friday night at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport, and there were a couple of good reasons for that.
1. Lower Lake didn’t need to throw the ball that much while beating Clear Lake 32-23 in North Central League I varsity football action on the Cardinals’ home turf.
2. Clear Lake wasn’t in a position to throw the ball as much as it wanted because of Adams’ sore arm … he had to leave the game at halftime.
Wickard still finished the game a more-than-respectable 12-for-21 for 256 yards and a touchdown as Lower Lake (1-3, league, 4-3 overall) won for the first time in league play this year and snapped a three-game losing streak in the process.
Adams, who made his first varsity start a week ago in a 32-20 home win over Willits, couldn’t duplicate that magic on Friday against the Trojans. He eventually gave way to Tyler Dore in the third quarter and finished the night 5-for-8 for 72 yards and two interceptions.
Lower Lake scored the game’s first 26 points before Clear Lake (1-3, 2-5) came back to make it close, pulling to 32-23 on a Sam Long 71-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.
Isaac Lewis had an 85-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown for Clear Lake while Lower Lake’s defense forced four turnovers and two sacks, both by Nick Sani.
Lower Lake’s offense had 206 yards on the ground and individual scores form Wickard, Sani, Robert Calderon and Eric Egger.
On the receiving end, Kono Geary had three catches for 125 yards and a touchdown while teammate Ethan Watson had three receptions for 107 yards.
Long had three catches for 20 yards for Clear Lake and he also finished with a team-best 79 yards rushing.
