CONCORD — The new-look Lower Lake Trojans opened the 2018-19 basketball season with a 55-28 loss to Ygnacio Valley in non-league varsity girls action on Monday night in Concord.
Lower Lake, 17-10 last season, graduated seven players, including its entire starting lineup.
“It’s hard when you lose Aleia (Milano), Sammy (Caires) and Vanessa (Hughes),” Lower Lake head coach Dave Milano said. “That’s 45 points a game right there.”
Lower Lake (0-1) also wasn’t at full strength with Lynzi Milano out sick and two transfer students unable to play because their paperwork hasn’t been squared away with the North Coast Section. Getting adequate practice time has been a struggle as well because of air quality issues the last two weeks relating to smoke from the Camp Fire in Butte County.
“We have some good athleticism,” Milano said of his team. “This team has a lot of upside. We’re gonna try and be scrappy and grab one of the last playoff spots (in Division IV).”
Ygnacio Valley, now 2-0 on the season, used its press to great effect, according to Milano.
“We didn’t beat their press. They pressed hard and they wanted to cause a lot of panic and they were able to.”
Heather Felder’s nine points, including two 3-pointers, paced the Trojans. Anahi Robles added six points and Samantha Hughes had five.
The Trojans return to action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. against McKinleyville in the opening round of the Arcata Tournament, which runs through Saturday.
In junior varsity action Monday, Lower Lake defeated Ygnacio Valley 55-10 behind 14 points from Kim Bautista, 12 from Sonja Desano, and 11 from Kyleigh Mock.
New coach Shannon Tubbs said he was pleased with the Trojans’ first effort of the season.
Lower Lake’s JVs play Clear Lake on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Lakeport. There is no varsity game.
In other girls basketball action Monday:
St. Vincent 48, Upper Lake 25
At Petaluma, Upper Lake played a competitive first quarter before the St. Vincent Mustangs pulled away for an easy non-league victory.
“We came out a pretty good, but we haven’t practiced the last week and a half and the conditioning wasn’t there and the energy wasn’t there,” Upper Lake coach Nick Williamson said.
Upper Lake (0-2), like most county teams the last two weeks, was unable to practice because of poor air quality created by the Camp Fire in Butte County.
“We also were missing a couple of people,” Williamson said. “We’re just trying to get that chemistry back.”
Upper Lake trailed 11-10 after the opening period but found itself in a 29-13 hole by halftime.
“We missed a lot of short shots and we game them a lot of second and third chances,” Williamson said.
Karlee Zimmershied’s seven points led the Cougars and Katlyn Minnis added six more.
Upper Lake plays Point Arena Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the opening round of the Cougar Round Robin Tournament at Upper Lake. The tourney runs through Saturday.
