LAKE COUNTY — Respect? Better believe it.
All five starters on Clear Lake High School’s varsity boys basketball team not only landed spots on the recently selected All-North Central League I squad for 2020, but all five were second-team selections or better after leading the Cardinals to a second straight undefeated championship.
The North Coast Section Division 5 runner-up Cardinals received even more respect when they were bumped up to Division 4 for the NorCal playoffs. They entered the month of March as the only Redwood Empire boys team — small school or large — still playing basketball.
Jaron Mertle, the team’s standout senior center, was the unanimous pick for the league’s most valuable player award. He leads a first team that includes senior teammates Darius Ford and Travis Howe, both guards, as well as Cloverdale junior center Josh Lemley, Cloverdale sophomore guard Dylan Muller, and Middletown senior guard Andres Cervantes.
Named to the All-League second team were Clear Lake senior Tyler Cerini and junior Donavan Valadez, Cloverdale senior Shane Turner, Fort Bragg senior Alex Whitehead, and Middletown senior Jimmy Rockwell.
Honorable mentions were bestowed on Kelseyville senior Bodhi Baird, Middletown senior Sammy Cervantes, St. Helena senior Jonathan Gamble, Fort Bragg freshman Trevon Mehtlan, and Willits junior Martin Coughlin.
Lower Lake was shut out of the All-League voting.
