LAKE COUNTY >> The final chapter of the 2016 passing league for Lake County’s high school football teams plays out Monday evening at Upper Lake High School beginning at 5:30 p.m. All of the county’s schools will be represented as the four-week program wraps up.
Passing league isn’t so much a dress rehearsal for the regular season as it is a dress rehearsal for the skill players on the county’s football teams as they carry the bulk of the load during the seven-on-seven drills. There isn’t much for linemen to do and there is no one to hit as passing league is strictly non-contact.
A week later, on Aug. 8, the official football season begins with the first day of North Coast Section-sanctioned practice. Players who have at least 10 practices under their belts are eligible to participate in the Lake County Scrimmage for junior varsity and varsity teams on Aug. 19 at Gordon Sadler Field in Lower Lake. That’s the first time county teams will begin to take shape as coaches evaluate where they stand before their season opens. It’s also a good chance for fans to see where their teams stand.
Lower Lake will be back out on Gordon Sadler Field exactly one week later — Aug. 26 — to host De Anza of Cupertino in the season opener for both squads. The Trojans are the only county team in action on what the section refers to as “zero week.” As a result of their early start, the Trojans will have a bye week on the weekend of Oct. 7-8.
The remainder of the county’s teams open at home the weekend of Sept. 2-3.
On Friday, Sept. 2, Clear Lake hosts South Fork, Kelseyville hosts Healdsburg, Middletown hosts Salesian and Lower Lake travels to Esparto. On Saturday, Sept. 3, defending North Central League III champion Upper Lake hosts Rincon Valley Christian in both its season and league opener.
With graduation taking a heavy toll on last year’s top NCL I teams — champion Fort Bragg (7-0), runner-up St. Helena (6-0), Middletown (5-2) and Cloverdale (4-3) — the league race would appear to be up for grabs. Fort Bragg graduated 16 players off of its 2015 roster, St. Helena 14, Middletown 13 and Cloverdale 13.
The NCL I also has a new wrinkle this year as St. Vincent of Petaluma rejoins the league. At one time the dominant school in the now defunct NCL II, the Mustangs now give the NCL I nine teams in all – four from Lake County, two each from Mendocino and Sonoma counties, and one from Napa County. The increased number of league opponents means NCL I schools play only two non-league opponents this year.
Among Lake County’s five varsity squads, two debut with new head coaches. Mike Smith takes over for Frank Gudmundson at Upper Lake while Mark Cory replaces Darin Brodnansky at Clear Lake.
Upper Lake enters its second year of eight-man football looking for a second straight league title and the Cougars return most of their key players from a 7-2 campaign in 2015.
