KELSEYVILLE >> The Cardinals of Clear Lake High School will be looking to keep their perfect North Central League I record intact on Friday night when they travel to Kelseyville High School for Bass Bowl VIII.
Clear Lake (3-0 league, 4-1 overall) has won four straight games since losing to Colusa in its season opener, but Kelseyville (2-1, 3-2) has won the last four meetings between the two archrivals and has a 5-2 lead in the Bass Bowl series, which began in 2010.
A year ago the Knights handled the Cardinals 42-14 at Lakeport to retain the Bass Bowl Trophy, which is presented to the winner following the game. The trophy has been in Kelseyville’s possession since 2013.
The score of every Bass Bowl game is engraved on plates located at the base of the trophy.
This is the first Bass Bowl since the series began where both teams are in contention for the North Central League I championship. Clear Lake enters the weekend tied with Middletown for first place at 3-0, followed by Lower Lake at 3-1 and Kelseyville at 2-1. A loss to Clear Lake on Friday night would knock the Knights into the middle of the pack.
The Bass Bowl has been recognized in the “Dirty 30: America’s 30 Greatest High School Rivalries” by Tom Ward.
Kelseyville won the inaugural Bass Bowl in 2010 by a 34-20 final. Clear Lake bounced back with victories in 2011 (7-3) and 2012 (43-26), but the series has been all Kelseyville since. The Knights won 36-14 in 2013, 11-8 in 2014, 26-8 in 2015 and 42-14 last season.
