LAKE COUNTY >> It’s called the Bass Bowl these days, but everyone knows it’s Clear Lake vs. Kelseyville, and that’s all that really matters. And this time it matters more than the first seven Bass Bowl games combined.
Bass Bowl VIII finally features a matchup where both participants boast winning overall records, winning league records and have a chance to earn some share of the North Central League I football championship. Since the Bass Bowl name was adopted beginning with the 2010 game, neither one of Lake County’s fiercest archrivals have caught a whiff of a league title let alone won one. That could all change this year.
Bass Bowl VIII, which visits Kelseyville this year, is one of three Friday games on the Week 7 high school schedule featuring Lake County participants. The others have Middletown (3-0 league, 4-1 overall) at Cloverdale (1-3, 2-4) in NCL I action, and Anderson Valley (1-1, 1-3) at Upper Lake (2-0, 4-1) in NCL III North action. Lower (3-1, 5-1) has a bye.
Clear Lake at K’ville
Clear Lake (3-0, 4-1) enters play tied with Middletown for the NCL I lead, a half-game ahead of Lower Lake and a full game up on Kelseyville (2-1, 3-2). If Clear Lake wins, it can do no worse than be tied for first place depending on the Middletown-Cloverdale outcome. If Kelseyville wins, it knocks Clear Lake into the ranks of one-loss teams in the crowded league standings.
As far as the Bass Bowl series goes, and keep in mind this is only a snapshot of a long, long rivalry between these two teams, Kelseyville leads 5-2 and has won four straight meetings.
“Their two losses are to two really good football teams, maybe two of the best teams in our section (Division V),” Clear Lake coach Mark Cory said of Kelseyville’s 50-29 non-league loss to undefeated St. Patrick/St. Vincent (5-0) and a 7-6 league loss to Middletown. “The Middletown game could have gone either way. There’s no shame in losing those two games.”
Clear Lake has been relatively untested thus far as none of its first five opponents are better than .500 on the season, a situation that has many coaches around the league and section curious to see the outcome of Friday’s game in Kelseyville.
Kelseyville coach Erick Larsen said he doesn’t doubt Clear Lake’s credentials and admits the Cardinals having two weeks to prepare for the Knights is an advantage (Clear Lake had a bye last week).
“That’s more time to prepare for the things we do, time to figure out how they’ll deal with it,” Larsen said.
Beginning with Friday’s action, the next two weeks are critical for all of Lake County’s NCL I teams but especially Clear Lake and Kelseyville. That’s because Clear Lake heads to Middletown a week from Friday while Kelseyville travels to Lower Lake.
“The next two weeks these league games are going to play out and show us who is where,” Larsen said with an eye toward the league race.
Cory said Kelseyville is just another in a long line of challenges for his Clear Lake squad in 2017.
“We have to go out and prove ourselves every week,” Cory added. “That’s the fun thing about this game.”
Are both teams looking forward to the Bass Bowl? You bet. Excited would be something of an understatement given this intense rivalry, but both coaches are preaching control of emotions and staying focused on the task at hand.
“In these games kids want to get a little too caught up in the rivalry,” Cory said. “Focus on what we’re supposed to do and we’ll be OK.”
“I think are kids are definitely focused,” Larsen said. “They’ve been more energetic at practice this week and we’re taking advantage of it.”
“You have to appreciate games like this, the importance to the schools, the towns. These kids know each other so well, they’re only seven miles apart,” Cory said. “You have to be hoping you’re in a big game that counts. I want my players to go out there and play well but also have fun. I know I am going to have fun.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Larsen said.
M’town at Cloverdale
An understrength Middletown squad hits the road to play Cloverdale on the Eagles’ homecoming. The Mustangs lost two of their three starting running backs — Drake Harbison and Isaiah Moore — to high ankle sprains a week ago in a 41-0 win at St. Vincent. Neither practiced in pads with the team this season although Harbison did work out, run, test the ankle and shadow his teammates as they put in the gameplan for Cloverdale.
“He looked pretty good,” Foltmer said. “He’ll be a game-time decision.”
Moore also missed time this week because of illness and is unlikely to see any action.
“I would say he’s very doubtful,” Foltmer said.
As a safeguard, the Mustangs have promoted junior varsity back Nico Barrio.
“The kid is looking really impressive,” Foltmer said. “I’m impressed with how fast he’s picked up things. We run the same system as the JVs but with some tweaks that he’s had to learn.”
Cloverdale hasn’t always been an easy opponent for Middletown.
“When they’ve had the talent, they’ve always played us tough and I think they have the talent this year. Cloverdale came down here (to Middletown) a few years ago and we were supposed to beat them and they handed us one,” Foltmer said of the Eagles’ 25-7 win in 2014 at Middletown.
Anderson Valley at Upper Lake
It’s the second of three straight home games for Upper Lake as it hosts Anderson Valley. Both the Cougars and South Fork (2-0) enter the weekend tied for the NCL III North lead, so Upper Lake most likely will need a win to keep pace with the Cubs, who travel to Roseland Collegiate Prep (0-2) on Saturday. If Upper Lake and South Fork emerge with victories, they’ll both take undefeated North records into a Oct. 13 showdown at Upper Lake.
Anderson Valley, the team to beat in the early days of NCL III eight-man football, isn’t that team any longer although the Cougars won’t soon forget their 64-38 road loss to the Panthers last season and a 32-18 defeat to Anderson Valley in the the 2015 Redwood Bowl at Upper Lake.
Lower Lake prepares
The Trojans have a bye week and are making the most of it as they prepare to resume their schedule Oct. 13 at home against Kelseyville in their homecoming game.
“We’re working on fundamentals, doing the little things,” Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy said.
The Trojans also received some good news on the injury front as tight end/linebacker Ray Mayo, thought lost for the season after hurting his collarbone, will return to the field shortly. Lower Lake is also having some fun while staying focused on improving its overall game. The Trojans held a “swag day” in practice Tuesday during which players were invited to wear non-football clothing over their practice gear.
Gaddy said he was hesitant to allow it when the idea was first floated.
“I didn’t want it to be a distraction, a big joke and take away from our practice,” Gaddy said. “I’d only allow it if the players stayed focused and worked hard.”
Gaddy said he was shocked with the results.
“The kids worked harder than ever and we’re having fun out there,” he said. “I mean it’s the middle of the season and here we are at Lower Lake having a great time and getting our work done.”
Elijah Hernandez stole the show with his Superman outfit complete with flowing cape, according to Gaddy.
