LAKEPORT — It came too late to save their season, but the Clear Lake Cardinals, at least for a day, proved they could beat the best the North Central League I has to offer as they knocked off the St. Helena Saints 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.
The Cardinals (2-10-1 league, 6-10-3 overall) were long ago eliminated from league title contention and more recently eliminated from postseason contention, but they dominated a frustrated St. Helena squad that picked up a handful of yellow cards in the first half, and even one between halves.
“It’s bittersweet,” Clear Lake coach Shaun Hornby said of the Cardinals’ second-to-last game of the season and his second-to-last game as Clear Lake’s head coach (he’s stepping down at season’s end). “I had three of my guys back that I haven’t had all season (because of grades). They should have been with me all year.”
Those three players are Diego Sonato, who scored twice against the Saints; Flavio Pizano, who scored once; and Brandon Jimenez, who scored a goal Tuesday in a 2-2 tie at Willits. Hornby said he has no doubts that if those three had been with the team throughout its league campaign, the Cardinals would have been a league title contender.
Clear Lake really took it to the Saints in the first 40 minutes, opening up a 2-0 halftime lead on the strength of goals by Valencia and Sonato. Clear Lake just missed on a couple of other shots while its defense thoroughly stifled an unhappy Saints team that didn’t do a good job of hiding its frustration.
“We dominated in the first half and in the second half,” Hornby said. “We just made a couple of silly mistakes in the second half.”
Clear Lake will honor its seniors before its final league game Tuesday at home against Middletown. Action begins at 4 p.m.
