WILLITS — Despite forcing five turnovers, the Clear Lake Cardinals couldn’t manage a single point on offense Friday night in a 20-6 loss to the Willits Wolverines in the North Central League I varsity football opener for both teams at Maize Field in Willits.
Clear Lake (0-1 league, 1-3 overall) scored its only points on a Travis Howe 25-yard interception return in the third quarter with Willits (1-0, 3-1) already leading 20-0.
“We didn’t generate much of anything,” Clear Lake head coach Mark Cory said when asked about his team’s continuing struggles on offense. “We couldn’t quite get out of our own way. Penalties and (four) turnovers hurt us. We didn’t play well again.”
Howe nearly had a second pick-six in the game but couldn’t quite break free from the Willits pursuit.
While junior running back Treppa Marcks (knee) was able to play in the game, his first action of the 2019 season, it wasn’t enough to get Clear Lake into the win column. Marcks carried the ball eight times for 44 yards and also caught a pass.
Clear Lake had just 131 yards of total offense – 82 on the ground and another 49 through the air as quarterback Darius Ford went 7-for-19 for 49 yards. Howe caught four passes for 21 yards.
The Wolverines led 14-0 at halftime and scored again early in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
Willits also won the junior varsity game 15-14.
Clear Lake faces another tough test next Friday when the St. Helena Saints (1-0, 4-0) visit Don Owens Stadium. St. Helena beat NCL I defending champion Kelseyville 48-27 in its league opener Friday at Kelseyville.
