MIDDLETOWN — Two Lake County girls soccer teams put their seasons on the line Saturday in North Coast Section Division I quarterfinal-round matches.
North Central League I champion Middletown (20-2-2) is home to play McKinleyville (10-8-1) at 2 p.m. in a battle of fourth and fifth seeds. If Middletown can beat McKinleyville for a second time this season, the Mustangs would advanced to the Division I semifinals on Wednesday against either No. 1 seed Eureka (16-0) or No. 8 Cloverdale (12-8-2). That game would take place at the home site of the highest surviving seed.
No. 10 seed Lower Lake (8-7-1) upset No. 7 St. Helena 1-0 in first-round action last Wednesday in St. Helena to earn a spot in the quarterfinal round. The Trojans face an even more formidable opponent Saturday when they take on No. 2 seed Fortuna (13-4-1) at Fortuna High School beginning at 7 p.m.
The Lower Lake-Fortuna winner draws the No. 3 Arcata (12-7-1) vs. No. 6 Roseland University Prep (11-2-4) winner in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Middletown and McKinleyville both had first-round byes. They met way back on Sept. 1 when the Mustangs prevailed 2-0 at the Arcata Sports Complex. Middletown is 6-1 against other Division I quarterfinalists, the only loss being a 3-2 decision to No. 3 Arcata. The Mustangs did not meet either of the top two seeds, Eureka or Fortuna, during the regular season.
Lower Lake is 0-4 against other Division I quarterfinalists, having lost twice to both Cloverdale and Lower Lake. The Trojans played only one non-league opponent (Calistoga) before the start of their North Central League I schedule.
Middletown was eliminated in the quarterfinals a year ago after reaching the semifinals in 2016, current head coach Lamont Kucer’s rookie season. Between 2012 and 2015, Middletown made three appearances in the sectional finals, each time against powerhouse Sonoma Acadmey of Santa Rosa. Middletown won 2-0 in 2012 under head coach Lee Hoage, lost 5-2 in 2013 under head coach Louise Owens, and fell 3-2 in a double-overtime classic in 2015 under head coach Amy Emerson. The Mustangs also reached the semifinals in 2014, losing to St. Vincent.
Middletown’s sectional title in 2012 was the school’s first in girls soccer.
