LAKE COUNTY >> Closing in on an upset over their archrivals, the Kelseyville Knights were 10 minutes away from handing Clear Lake a bitter 2-1 loss in North Central League I action when the Cardinals took matters into their own hands.
Until the COVID-19-delayed 2020-21 sports season starts in December, the Lake County Record-Bee will take a look back at the local sports happenings of a year ago and the teams and athletes who were making the headlines.
Girls soccer
With their star player and leading scorer, Lexi Tejada, out of action because of illness, the Clear Lake Cardinals had struggled on offense all day against a prevent Kelseyville defense and were staring a league loss in the face when someone flipped the light switch into the on position as far as the Cardinals’ offense was concerned.
Goals by Nancy Ruzicka and Ashley Moore within the span of a minute put Clear Lake ahead to stay at 3-2, but the Cardinals weren’t done yet. Mavis Pyorre curled in a corner kick to make it 4-2 and Ruzicka added another goal a short time later to give Clear Lake a memorable 5-2 victory.
Clear Lake head coach Derick Fiske credited Riana Kniss for helping kick-start the Cardinals’ scoring surge in the final 10 minutes. Nursing painful shin splits and on the bench most of the game, Kniss entered late in the second half and began to open things up for Clear Lake’s offense by getting loose on the outside, according to Fiske.
The win pushed Clear Lake’s league record to 6-3 and its overall mark to 10-5.
Middletown
While the Cardinals were pulling out a victory on the road in Kelseyville, the Middletown Mustangs were at home shutting down Fort Bragg 7-0 despite the absence of starters Abby Sabater and Leslie Chairez, the team’s keeper. With Chairez unable to play in the net, Emily Maccario, a junior, made her first start and recorded the shutout.
Sophie Kucer once again sparked Middletown’s offense with four goals, two in each half.
The victory propelled the Mustangs to 9-0 in league and 13-3-1 overall.
