LAKE COUNTY — In one of the better matchups highlighting two of Lake County junior varsity girls basketball teams during the 2019-20 season, the Upper Lake Cougars held off a determined effort by the Clear Lake Cardinals to win 40-33 in non-league action nearly a year ago today in Upper Lake.
Until the COVID-19-delayed 2020-21 sports season starts, 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.
JV girls basketball
With a handful of Upper Lake varsity players moving down to the JV level for this game before moving back up to the varsity for the remainder of the season, the host Cougars still had all they could handle against a talented Clear Lake squad that would go on to win the North Central League I championship.
Mikayla Fifield’s 15 points sparked the Cardinals, who made a late run to cut a double-digit deficit to just two points in the fourth quarter. Stella Hill also had six points for the Cardinals, who fell to 4-2 (both losses to Upper Lake).
For the victorious Cougars, Taylar Minnis led the way with 12 points, Lupy Monlo-Duncan added eight, and Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow and Maddy Young finished with six apiece. Loans Arrow would go on to win most valuable player honors for the varsity Cougars, the NCL II champions in 2020.
In other high school action nearly a year ago today:
Varsity boys basketball
Middletown won a 51-47 thriller from Justin-Siena of Napa in the opening round of the Redwood Empire Invitational Basketball Tournament at Healdsburg while Kelseyville dropped a 61-48 decision to host Healdsburg, which would go on to capture the tourney title.
Healdsburg built a 38-24 halftime lead against Kelseyville and opened things up even more in the third quarter, taking a 22-point lead in the the final quarter.
Bodhi Baird’s 18 points and three 3-pointers powered the Knights while Cory Holt added 12 points and a pair of 3-pointers.
In Middletown’s exciting win over Justin-Siena, the two teams were never separated by much. The Mustangs outscored the Braves 11-7 in the third quarter to break a 22-all tie at halftime and held that lead down the stretch.
