LAKEPORT — Jesse Hayes rushed for 230 yards and five touchdowns while scoring six times overall in the Westshore Cardinals’ 47-14 youth football varsity win over Cloverdale on Saturday in Lakeport.
Westshore built a 34-14 halftime lead en route to its second win in as many games this season. The Cardinals are tied with Middletown for the top spot in the Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League standings going into week three. They are the only two undefeated teams left in the varsity division.
Hayes’ touchdown runs were 46 and 75 yards in the first quarter, 55 yards in the second quarter, and 5 and 44 yards in the third quarter. He also returned a punt 85 yards for a score in the second quarter. His 46-yard TD came on Westshore’s first play and his 55-yard TD came with five seconds left in the first half.
Westshore’s other offensive dynamo was Mikel Compton, who rushed for a 17-yard score in the second quarter as well as four extra points. AJ Bruch passed to Kaleb Bell for another extra point.
The Cardinals had a 14-0 lead after one quarter. Cloverdale closed to 14-6 early in the second quarter before Compton’s touchdown run and Hayes’ punt return pushed Westshore’s lead to 27-6. After Cloverdale narrowed the gap to 27-14, Hayes’ 55-yard run with seconds remaining closed out the scoring in the first half.
It was 47-14 after three quarters.
Compton finished with 37 yards on six carries.
The Cardinals’ offensive line of Zane McAuley, Colton Mendoca, Nathan Boomer, Tyler Collins and Fabian Moreno received a thumbs-up from head coach Derek Butcher.
“They all played much better,” Butcher said of their improvement from the team’s season-opening win over Northshore a week earlier.
Westshore’s leader on defense was McAuley with two tackles, three assists and two and a half sacks.
“There is a long road ahead of us to get to where we want to be, but tonight’s game was a step in the right direction,” Butcher said of the Cardinals’ overall play.
Butcher also had praise for the visiting Cloverdale team.
“Cloverdale’s coaching staff, players and fans showed a lot of class tonight. We’re happy they joined our league this year.”
All of the league’s teams are taking the Labor Day weekend off. Westshore’s teams are scheduled to return to action Sept. 11 in Sonoma.
