LOWER LAKE >> Once upon a time not all that long ago, spring sports was pretty much a four-letter word at Lower Lake High School where its baseball and softball teams regularly underachieved and were considered automatic wins by other schools in the North Central League I.
Those times have changed, especially in softball.
The school’s softball program under current coach Chris Emberson has been a title contender for several seasons and the varsity baseball program under current coach Jim Peters just missed reaching the .500 mark a year ago in Peters’ first season.
Emberson, now in his seventh season, has posted nothing but winning records since taking over the softball program. He is 103-47 (.687) overall since his first season in 2012, including 86-28 (.754) in league play. Despite a handful of player losses to graduation, the Trojans to figure to be in the league title race mix again this season led by sophomore pitcher Shelby Sapeta.
The Trojans break in the 2018 season with a pair of scrimmages. They’ll go up against Ukiah and Clear Lake on Feb. 24 in Ukiah, then scrimmage Montgomery on March 3 in Santa Rosa. Their first official game is March 6 at Healdsburg followed by March 8 home game against St. Vincent. They open league play March 30 at home against Willits.
Baseball
Lower Lake’s varsity baseball team has experienced the least success among the county’s varsity sports teams, regardless of sports season, during the past 25 years. Constant turnover in its coaching ranks has been a contributing factor to that lack of success. Peters hopes to change all of that and he took a good first step in 2017 when the Trojans ended up 10-11, including 4-10 in league play. A handful of those 10 league losses came in heartbreaking fashion.
Another positive sign was the Trojans’ ability to compete. They were 10-runned in only one league game, that early in the season against Fort Bragg. Eight of their 14 league games were decided by three runs or less.
The Trojans open the 2018 season March 2 at home against Upper Lake before playing their next three games on the road — at Pierce on March 5, at El Molino on March 8 and at Technology on March 13. They open league play March 30 at home against Willits.
