LOWER LAKE — Bouncing back from a 12-2 non-league loss Wednesday to Calistoga, the Lower Lake Trojans battled the Willits Wolverines to the very end before falling 5-3 in North Central League I boys soccer action Thursday afternoon in Lower Lake.
Leo Brown’s third goal of the game snapped a 2-2 tie 19 minutes into the second half to give the Trojans a 3-2 lead.
Brown’s first goal gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead five minutes into the first half. He scored again at the 28-minute mark to tie the score at 2, which was the halftime score.
Chris Rivera assisted on Brown’s third goal for the hat trick.
“They played more like a team today,” Lower Lake head coach Michael McMurtrey said of the Trojans. “You can see them forming into a team. We felt pretty good about our effort.”
The Trojans lost starter Richie Perez to a knee injury in the second half.
“It will be nice to have a few days off so that we can get some guys healthy and get a few practices in,” McMurtrey said with an eye toward a Tuesday bye.
Lower Lake, now 0-4 league and 0-5 overall, is back in action next Thursday against Clear Lake’s co-ed team in Lakeport at 4 p.m.
St. Helena 8, M’town 2
At St. Helena, the St. Helena Saints spotted Middletown a 1-0 lead before roaring back to beat the Mustangs in NCL I action.
It was the first league loss for Middletown (2-1, 4-2).
“Credit to St. Helena,” Middletown high school co-head coach Michael Dodd said. “What a wonderful team. We were outmatched and it showed. After we scored that first goal they had us on our heels the rest of the way.”
Nadav Dicovski scored just five minutes into the game to put Middletown on top, but the lead didn’t last long. St. Helena went on to push ahead 2-1 by the end of the first half and the Saints broke it open early in the second half.
“Their counterattacks were so well orchestrated I didn’t know how to answer,” Dodd said. “The wheels kind of came off. That’s on me. I need to do a better job of preparing my guys.”
Roberto Chaires scored in the second half for the Mustangs, who opened the season winning four of their first five games, including league wins over Lower Lake and Fort Bragg.
Dodd said his players got to see the caliber of play necessary to compete for a NCL I title.
While the loss to the Saints was a real eye opener for his club, Dodd said keeper Adrian Backus did everything he could to keep the Mustangs in the game.
“Without him out there it could have easily been 20-2,” Dodd said. “He can’t keep everything out. He had a lot of nice saves. He busted his butt out there.”
So did Matata Mulanda, according to Dodd.
“Both those guys gave their all for the team,” Dodd said. “Words alone can describe how hard they tried. I’m absolutely proud of them both.”
Middletown returns to action Tuesday in Lakeport against Clear Lake’s co-ed team at 4 p.m.
