LAKE COUNTY — Given the team’s struggles this season, what Lower Lake High School senior quarterback Elijah Hernandez accomplished in a 48-12 loss to the Kelseyville Knights on Friday night at Gordon Sadler Field might not seem like a big deal, but it is.
Lake County’s single-season passing yardage record has now fallen three times in two seasons but Hernandez is about to set the bar so high it might not fall again for a long, long time.
Consider that Mike Merchen of Upper Lake High School, operating out of a run-and-shoot offense for the Cougars, passed for 1,868 yards in 1990. That record stood until last season when first Hokulani Wickard of Lower Lake and then Alex Adams of Clear Lake took turns breaking it. Wickard, who Hernandez backed up last season and in 2016, finished the 2017 campaign with 1,978 yards, part of his Lake County-leading career total of 5,135 passing yards. Clear Lake’s Adams, helped by the Cardinals’ ability to reach the North Coast Section Division V semifinals a year ago, went on to pass for 2,196 yards.
Wickard and Adams both were in their third year as varsity starting quarterbacks when they broke Merchen’s old record, which is one reason why Hernandez’s achievement is that much more incredible. As Wickard’s understudy each of the last two seasons, he was barely used, going a combined 5-for-11 for 17 yards. But given his chance to shine in the big spotlight, Hernandez has done all that’s been asked of him and more.
On Friday night as the Trojans (0-5 league, 2-6 overall) were attempting to snap a four-game losing streak against the powerful and first-place Knights (5-0, 7-1), Hernandez entered play needing 208 yards to break a record held by Adams for less than a year. He ended up with 250 yards and now has 2,239 for the season. He’s also at 19 touchdowns for the year, which isn’t a county record but is yeoman’s work to be sure.
With two league games remaining, Hernandez is on a pace to finish the regular season with approximately 2,800 yards. The Trojans, despite their record, could still qualify for the Division IV playoffs as an at-large team, which would give them at least one more game. If the Trojans reach the postseason, don’t be surprised if the Lower Lake senior vaults above the 3,000 mark in his first and only season as a varsity starter. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor at the Southshore school, that’s really saying something.
Following are some of the other happenings on Week 8 of the high school football season:
Statistics
Rushing — Kelseyville’s Dylan McAdon, replacing injured starter Jordi Lopez, gained 155 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown in the Knights’ lopsided victory over Lower Lake. Teammates Robert Chavez (134 yards, TD) and Alex Garcia (58 yards, 3 TDs) also made an impact. Aries Brooke led Lower Lake with 75 yards on 14 carries. Middletown’s Drake Harbison gained 85 yards on 12 carries with a TD in a win over Willits. Treppa Marcks of Clear Lake had 75 yards on 25 carries with two TDs in a loss to Cloverdale.
Passing — Other than Lower Lake’s Elijah Hernandez going 21-for-35 for 250 yards and a TD against Kelseyville, Middletown’s RH Hess was accurate and efficient in a 33-12 victory over Willits as he completed 6 of 9 passes for 158 yards and two TDs. Kelseyville’s Alex Garcia also had one of his better weeks of the season with a 7-for-9 effort for 139 yards and two TDs against Lower Lake. Clear Lake’s Darius Ford finished 6-for-22 for 114 yards and two TDs against Cloverdale.
Receiving — Clear Lake’s Preston Jones had five catches for 110 yards and two TDs. Middletown’s Nico Barrio caught three passes for 102 yards and a TD. Semaj Clark of Lower Lake grabbed seven passes for 81 yards.
Special teams
Kickoff return — Middletown’s Drake Harbison returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to give the Mustangs the lead for good in the second quarter against the Willits Wolverines.
Defense
Deuces are wild — Middletown’s RH Hess picked off two passes while teammate Jared Pyzer had two of the Mustangs’ four sacks against Willits.
Tackle time — Kelseyville’s Chase Larsen led the team with seven solo tackles and two assists, including one tackle for loss, against Lower Lake. Teammate Robert Chavez had six solo stops and one assist with one tackle for loss.
This and that
PG&E alert — Next Friday’s round of games may be canceled if PG&E decides the wind might blow (yes, that’s an attempt at humor).
They made lemonade — Given that Point Arena bailed at the last second on Upper Lake’s homecoming game Friday night, the Cougars held a red and white team scrimmage instead. Because it was the school’s last scheduled home game, seniors were introduced prior to the scrimmage and the regular homecoming activities took place at halftime. Upper Lake also lost a home game to Laytovnille on Oct. 5 for the same reason – the opponent couldn’t field enough players. An Oct. 26 home game against Anderson Valley also has been scrapped. Fortunately the Cougars’ replaced the Oct. 26 game with a road contest against Crystal Springs in Hillsborough.
NCL III North graveyard — South Fork, Round Valley (Upper Lake’s road opponent this coming Friday) and Upper Lake have the only NCL III North programs still around. Potter Valley, Laytonville, Point Arena and Anderson Valley have all gone by the wayside this season. Willits, a NCL I member, is also struggling. Not a great year for Mendocino County small school football, that’s for sure.
Wind warning — Wind gusts could exceed 5 mph sometime this week or next, prompting a PG&E shutdown of power to the entire North Coast (second attempt at humor).
Dialing long distance — Four of the five touchdowns scored by Middletown against Willits came on plays of 25 or more yards, including a pair of 70-yard plays.
Tough two weeks — While league-leading Kelseyville would appear to have the easiest final two weeks remaining in the race for the NCL I championship – the Knights are at Willits (1-4, 1-6) this Friday and home against Clear Lake (1-4, 1-6) on Oct. 26 – Middletown (4-1, 5-2) certainly has the toughest final two weeks with an away game Friday against Fort Bragg (3-2, 4-4) and a home game Oct. 26 against Cloverdale (4-1, 6-2).
Bass Bowl IX — Speaking of Kelseyville vs. Clear Lake, Bass Bowl IX between these two archrivals takes place Oct. 26 at Kelseyville. The Knights hold a 6-2 edge in the series and have won five in a row. Bass Bowl are organizers are currently looking for a generator powerful enough to run the field lights this year in case PG&E cuts power to the area (third and last joke at PG&E’s expense).
60 is retired — The Lower Lake Trojans retired the No. 60 jersey of the late Sean Barnett during a halftime ceremony on Friday night. Barnett was a teammate of Lower Lake head coach Justin Gaddy back in the mid-1990s.
Streaks — Kelseyville has won seven in a row and Lower Lake has dropped five in a row. Upper Lake’s seven-game losing streak dating back to last season is technically over following a 2-0 forfeit win over Point Arena.
Chip off the old block — Chase Larsen, son of Kelseyville head coach Erick Larsen, had a good game on offense and defense in the win over Lower Lake, including a 10-yard touchdown catch and a two-point conversion reception. He also was the Knights’ leading tackler.
