LAKE COUNTY >> Clear Lake, Lower Lake and Middletown all return their starting quarterbacks in 2017 while Kelseyville and Upper Lake will begin auditioning for replacements July 10 when the annual summer passing league opens at Bill Foltmer Field in Middletown.
Alex Adams (Clear Lake), Hokulani Wickard (Lower Lake) and Luke Holt (Middletown) are the county’s incumbent quarterbacks as the 2017 high school season draws near. Wickard is returning for a third straight year behind quarterback for the Trojans. He has passed for a combined 3,157 yards and 26 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
Kelseyville lost starter Logan Barrick to graduation. As a senior in 2016, Barrick helped the Knights reach the semifinals of the North Coast Section Division V playoffs and post a 9-4 overall record, one of their best seasons in years. Upper Lake lost two-year starter Derek Pritchard to graduation after an up-and-down 4-4 season in 2016 during which he passed for 1,361 yards and 17 touchdowns. His backup a year ago, Ray Moran, is the frontrunner for the starting job in 2017.
Passing league takes place over four consecutive Mondays and rotates around the county. Action begins at 5:30 p.m. all four weeks and includes junior varsity as well as varsity teams. The league shifts to Lower Lake on July 17, moves to Kelseyville on July 24, and finishes up at Lakeport on July 31.
Fans are invited to attend and there is no admission.
Lake County teams finished tightly bunched in last year’s North Central League I race. Middletown finished second at 7-1, Kelseyville and Lower Lake tied for third at 5-3, and Clear Lake came in fifth at 4-4. Upper Lake competes in the NCL III.
