ROHNERT PARK >> You’re never too old to learn and Kelseyville High School veteran boys basketball coach and athletic director Scott Conrad found himself doing something he had never done before on Wednesday afternoon in Boonville.
Conrad coached the Kelseyville boys in a 4-0 soccer loss to Anderson Valley High School, the season opener for the Knights who were without several key players and their veteran head coach. Eduardo Ledesma is visiting relatives in Mexico.
“First time,” Conrad said when asked if he had ever coached a soccer team before. “We needed somebody to fill in for Eduardo and it was me.”
The two teams played to a scoreless first half. Anderson Valley, a team that always provides Kelseyville with a tough preseason challenge, stepped it up in the second half and scored all of its goals.
“The kids told me they haven’t beaten Anderson Valley before, maybe one tie,” Conrad said. “They are a good soccer school.”
As is Kelseyville where Ledesma has led the Knights to three straight North Central League I championships.
“We faced a lot of challenges today,” Conrad said. “We were without Sal Barba, one of out top players, and both of our goalies had to work. Missing the coach didn’t help either.”
Diego Silva stepped in at keeper for the Knights (0-1) and played well, according to Conrad.
It was a tale of two halves for the Knights.
“We controlled the ball most of the first half,” Conrad said. “We ran out of gas in the second half.”
The Knights didn’t have a shot on goal in the second half after taking six in the first half.
Kelseyville returns home Monday to play Roseland University Prep, part of doubleheader that gets underway with the girls game at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity boys at 6:30 p.m.
“We’re trying to move those times back to 4 p.m. and 5:30,” Conrad said.
In other boys action Wednesday:
Tomales 5, M’town 0
At Tomales, a mostly young Middletown squad was shut out by the Tomales Braves in non-league action.
“We have a fairly young team, only two seniors,” Middletown coach Luis Chairez said. “We have a lot of juniors and freshmen.”
Tomales struck early, scoring twice in the first 10 minutes of the game.
“We made a few adjustments and started playing a little bit better,” Chairez said.
The Braves had a 3-0 lead at the half and added two insurance goals in the second half.
“We had a few scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert,” Chairez added. “We have a lot of work to do.”
Middletown faces another tough challenge at home Friday against Anderson Valley at 4 p.m.
Girls soccer
M’town 2, Credo 1
At Rohnert Park, Credo School of Rohnert Park gave Middletown High School’s girls soccer team a pretty good tussle on Wednesday before the Mustangs prevailed in non-league action.
It was the first win of the season for the nine-time defending North Central League I champions, who improved to 1-1-2 in non-league action.
“They were a tough team with a very organized defense and well coached,” Midldetown coach Lamont Kucer said. “They had some really fast forwards. Fortunately (defender) Kelsey Lemoine is pretty fast and was able to run them down.”
The two teams were scoreless after the first half. Middletown broke through 10 minutes into the second half on a Sophie Kucer unassisted goal. Ten minutes later Alyssa Terry scored with an assist from Aly Ferguson to make it 2-0. Kucer and Terry are both freshmen.
“We held on pretty good until the last four minutes when we committed a foul in the box,” Kucer said. “That’s how they scored, on a penalty kick.”
Middletown’s defense held firm in the final minutes to secure the victory.
Standouts for the Mustangs were Lemoine and Abby Sabater on defense and Ferguson on offense.
Middletown hosts McKinleyville in a non-league game Saturday at 10 a.m.
Volleyball
K’ville def. El Molino
At Forestville, the Kelseyville Knights opened a new season with a 25-11, 25-14, 25-22 victory over the El Molino Lions.
Sophomore Allison Bryant led the way with 16 kills on 30 arm swings. Grace Davidson added another six kills.
Paige Bour’s service, Payton Conrad’s passing and Malia Brown’s digging were other keys in the Kelseyville win, according to Kelseyville head coach Donelle McCallister.
“They work hard but we have some things to work on,” McCallister said of the Knights’ first effort of 2017.
Kelseyville is off until Sept. 9 when it participates in the Healdsburg Tournament.
El Molino won the junior varsity match 25-15, 25-10.
