LAKE COUNTY >> Officially Monday was the first day of the high school football season in Lake County … unless you happen to be one of those players who has spent countless hours in the weight room, working out on your own, taking advantage of open fields, attending camps, going to passing league and so on since the 2015 season ended in November.
Those who have been less diligent in their offseason workouts will perhaps pay the biggest price this week as teams prepare for the upcoming season in earnest, regardless of summer heat. Expect to see a few tongues hanging out on area practice fields and coaches barking out instructions as they put their players through the paces.
A handful of county teams will do twice-a-day practice this week although not on consecutive days, which is no longer allowed. Most of the county’s schools are back in school this week as classrooms at Clear Lake, Middletown and Upper Lake open Wednesday, which means those three teams will quickly shift into their after-school practice pattern. Lower Lake’s first day of school is Monday and Kelseyville starts Sept.6.
Lake County’s four North Central League I members — Clear Lake, Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Middletown — will meet in a dress rehearsal of sorts on Aug. 19 at Gordon Sadler Field in Lower Lake. On that same day, Upper Lake, the county’s only eight-man football team and a member of the NCL III, will hold a red and white scrimmage at the high school football field.
Lower Lake hosts De Anza of Cupertino in the season opener for both teams on Aug. 26. All five county schools will be in action the weekend of Sept. 2-3, with Middletown, Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Upper Lake all at home. Lower Lake visits Esparto.
As far as what to expect from the county’s schools this season, Upper Lake is looking to earn a second straight NCL III championship as most of its star players return from last year’s championship squad. Middletown, a perennial contender in the NCL I with the likes of Fort Bragg and St. Helena, is breaking in several new starters, including a new quarterback. Kelseyville and Lower Lake, both closer to the bottom of the NCL I standings than the top in 2015, are looking to get into the title mix this year with veteran quarterbacks — Kelseyville’s Logan Barrick and Lower Lake’s Hokulani Wickard — leading the way. For Clear Lake, a team that forfeited two of its scheduled 10 games last season, this year’s goal may be as simple as fielding a full squad for every game under new coach Mark Cory.
The Record-Bee will take a closer look at the county’s five varsity teams in the coming weeks.
