UPPER LAKE — Clearing another early hurdle in their quest for a North Central League II championship this season, the Upper Lake Cougars knocked off the Sonoma Academy Coyotes 44-28 in varsity girls basketball action Friday night in Upper Lake.
While the NCL II race still has a ways to go, the early returns are looking promising for the Cougars (3-0 league, 15-3). A home game Tuesday against Credo closes out the first half of league play and a victory over the Rohnert Park team would put the ultra-young Cougars into the NCL II driver’s seat.
“If we can take care of business on Tuesday, we’re in a real good position,” Upper Lake head coach Mike Smith said. “Getting that first win on the road (Jan. 14 against St. Vincent in Petaluma in the league opener) was huge. Now we need to take care of business at home. Hopefully those other teams can knock each other off and help us out.”
Even with point guard Maddy Young nursing a minor injury, the Cougars were able to open up a 20-13 halftime lead.
“She struggled through it,” Smith said. “We were kind of out of sync in that first half, but Molly McCabe came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer and that got us going.”
Zoey Petrie, a sophomore guard, scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the second half as the Cougars pulled away in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Freshman post Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow added a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Other contributors were Karlee Zimmerschied with seven points and Alana Sanchez with six points and 10 rebounds. Even Young, who was held to one point, got in her licks with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Loans Arrow had two blocks.
“Heaven was dominant on the boards,” Smith said.
The Cougars are on a pace to win 20 or more games for the first time since 2014-15 (22-5). Upper Lake’s single-season high for victories is 29 by the 1993-1994 team that current Upper Lake High School principal Annie (Pivniska) Petrie played for during her senior season. That team went 29-1.
In Friday’s junior varsity game, every Upper Lake player reached the scoring column in a 65-7 victory over Sonoma Academy. Taylar Minnis and Lupy Monlo-Duncan led the way with 19 and 15 points, respectively.
“Great ball movement by Lupy, incredible rebounding by Tay and Karla Martin,” Upper Lake coach Angelina Arroyo said. “Karla played with great intensity this game and wanted the ball. Best defense I’ve seen from her this season.”
Nathaly Velasco finished with eight points in the win while Tristin Rhodes added seven.
“Everyone got a lot of time on the court,” Arroyo said. “By the end of the game I had 10 smiling girls.”
Upper Lake did what it could to keep the score down in the second half, according to Arroyo.
“Lup didn’t try to score in the second half, but to lead and make sure everyone on the team scored,” Arroyo said.
One of the Cougars’ newest players, Maddie Hayenga, also made a positive impression, according to Arroyo.
“She’s a newcomer to the team and the sport and is starting to get the hang of it,” Arroyo said.
