Editor’s note: Pop Warner football coaches are welcome to report their scores/results to the Lake County Record-Bee. Please include full names for players (first and last), day of game, location of game, final score, season record and highlights. E-mail results to RBSports@aol.com.
LAKEPORT — So far, so good for the Northshore Junior Cougars Pee Wee football team, which improved to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon with a dramatic come-from-behind 8-6 victory over the Westshore Junior Cardinals at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.
The Junior Cougars football program is in its first year of existence and the Pee Wee team, coached by Frank Gudmundson and Eddie Peregrina, is off to a great start. Trailing 6-0 with two minutes to play, the Northshore team caught a break when outside linebackers Isaia Pena and Jaqobi Allison pinned the Cardinals deep in their own territory.
Clear Lake could have punted the ball but elected to take a safety to make the score 6-2. After the free kick, Northshore found itself at its own 30-yard line.
“I knew the Cardinals were scraping hard to stop our outside sweeps and they were effective in doing that,” Gudmundson said. “So I ran a sweep to the right and then a quick pitch to the left. This did what I needed it to do, widen out their defense.”
With the clock about to go under a minute, the Cougars’ next play — I-R 22 five — according to Gudmundson, was a running play to Sam Ambrecht.
“Ambrecht hit the hole and then bounced it outside and found nothing but open real estate and ran 70 yards for the go-ahead score,” Gudmundson said.
Clear Lake (0-2) ran a couple of plays before time expired, but the Upper Lake defense was up to the task.
Gudmundson credited his entire squad for holding up well in the heat on a hot Saturday afternoon. He also credited his defensive line with a solid effort — Chase Nobel and Angelo Macias at defensive end, and Anthony Hale and Luke Green at defensive tackle. Other Northshore standouts were Junior Peregrina at outside linebacker and Riley Zimmershied at cornerback.
“They continue to just finish,” Gudmundson said.
JVs
Following the Pee Wee game, the Northshore junior varsity squad beat Westshore 19-18, leaving both teams at 1-1 on the season.
Like the Northshore Pee Wees, the JVs rallied from behind, overcoming 12-0 and 18-13 deficits to beat Westshore. A long scoring drive set up by a 24-yard pass from Johnny Cruz to Aaron Bowman led to a game-winning touchdown run by Jahmon Diggs. Earlier in the game both Diggs and teammate Brody Blancas scored to give the Junior Cougars a 13-12 advantage. Westshore’s Jesse Hayes scored in the fourth quarter to put his team back in front 18-13.
After Northsore went back in front 19-18, strong defense by the Junior Cougars in the final minutes preserved the victory.
Varsity
Westshore’s varsity improved to 2-0 with a 38-14 victory over Northshore, which fell to 0-2.
“We are going to experience growing pains in the beginning, but as the season wears on, we should gel as a team just fine,” Northshore varsity coach William Van Der Weken said of the Junior Cougars, who are in their first year of existence.
“The five players with experience are bringing excellent leadership qualities to the team,” Van Der Weken said.
Among the Northshore standouts on defense are Cassidy Anderson, Vincent Stevenson and Ben Beecher along with Lalo Perez-Marquez, who Van Der Weken calls the “heart of the defense.”
Schedule
No games are scheduled this weekend because of the annual Lake County Fair. Play resumes Sept. 7 when Westshore hosts Fort Bragg and Upper Lake hosts Willits.
Standings
The Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League North division standings through the first two weeks of play are as follows:
Varsity — Westshore 2-0, Willits 1-1, Fort Bragg 1-1, Upper Lake 0-2.
JV — Fort Bragg 2-0, Westshore 1-1, Upper Lake 1-2, Willits 0-2.
Pee Wee — Upper Lake 2-0, Willits 2-0, Westshore 0-2, Fort Bragg 0-2.
