ST. HELENA — Five players scored in double figures as the Clear Lake Cardinals opened their North Central League I schedule with a 71-21 rout of the St. Helena Saints in varsity girls basketball action Friday night in St. Helena.
“That was great,” Clear Lake head coach Phil Psalmonds said of the five double-digit scorers. “If we can spread the wealth around, defenses can’t concentrate on stopping one player.”
Sydney Howe led the Cardinals (1-0 league, 5-4 overall) in scoring for the second game in a row, this time with 16 points. Rylee Mix added 14, Hailee Bussard and Joy Ingalls each had 13, and Sierra Bruch added 10.
“They’re all very unselfish,” Psalmonds added of his players.
Clear Lake had a 18-4 lead after the opening period and put the game away with a 28-8 second quarter.
“We’re playing well as a team,” Psalmonds added.
In junior varsity action, Clear Lake improved to 10-3 overall with a 45-12 league-opening win over St. Helena. Rubi Ford’s 14 points led the way.
The Cardinals had a 25-2 lead after one quarter.
Stella Hill scored 10 points in the win and Abby Mertle had nine.
Clear Lake’s varsity team plays Valley in a non-league game Saturday in Pittsburg beginning at 11 a.m. Both Cardinal squads resume league play Tuesday at home against Willits. JV tip-off is 5:30 p.m.
In other NCL I action Friday:
Lower Lake 56, Fort Bragg 47
At Lower Lake, the Trojans scored 31 points in the second half while beating the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in the league opener for both teams.
“Putting up 31 in the second half was huge for us,” Lower Lake head coach Shannon Tubbs said.
Lower Lake (1-0, 5-8) set the tone early with a 20-10 first quarter, but Fort Bragg closed the gap to 25-21 by halftime.
“I challenged them at halftime,” Tubbs said. “We needed to step and they did. They played better on offense and defense in the second half.
Sam Hughes and Margo Cordova led a balanced Lower Lake attack with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Alisha Jones chipped in nine more while Kayla Doud and Shelby Sapeta each had eight.
“If we can get this kind of scoring, we should be able to compete, with the kind of defense we play,” Tubbs said. “She (Cordova) had a nice little floater she was hitting tonight.”
Hughes sank three of Lower Lake’s seven 3-pointers and Doud hit a pair.
Fort Bragg (0-1, 4-9) suited up only seven players for the game.
Lower Lake won the JV game 54-32.
The Trojans hit the road Tuesday to play Cloverdale. JV tip-off is 5:30 p.m.
