LAKEPORT — After running the table during the regular season, the 10-0 Westshore varsity-level Cardinals were upset 20-16 by Sonoma in the opening round of Mendo-Lake Empire Junior Football League playoffs Saturday night at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.
It was the only upset in six MLEJFL playoff games held Saturday, three of which took place in Lakeport and the other three in Middletown. First-round games pair the 1 and 4 seeds and 2 and 3 seeds based on regular-season records. Winners advance to the championship round this Saturday in Kelseyville.
Westshore (10-1) defeated Sonoma (7-4) earlier in the year. In the playoff rematch, Sonoma jumped out to a 12-0 lead before Westshore battled back.
“Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way, which was the case Saturday night,” Westshore head coach Derek Butcher said. “We played a great game, we prepared well, we executed well, played with heart, with passion, and we played to win.”
Westshore took a 16-12 lead late into the fourth quarter but a short Sonoma pass completion turned into a 55-yard go-ahead touchdown and 20-16 lead with 1:38 left. The Cardinals couldn’t rally in the time remaining.
Sonoma built a 12-0 lead on the strength of a 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 75-yard run in the second quarter. Westshore closed to 12-8 with 17 seconds left in the first half as quarterback A.J. Bruch and running back Jesse Hayes connected for a 47-yard touchdown pass. Hayes added the extra-point kick (worth two points in youth football).
Clear Lake pushed in front 16-12 late in the third quarter on a Hayes 4-yard run and Hayes’ extra-point kick.
The Cardinals were driving for another score with 3:40 left to play when Sonoma’s defense stopped the Cardinals on fourth-and-one from the Sonoma 40-yard-line. Sonoma took over on downs and was facing a fourth-and-five with less than two minutes remaining when it scored the winning touchdown.
“Sonoma did a great job, too,” Butcher said. “They had a good game plan for us and played a championship-caliber game. We had our chances but we just didn’t come up with the big plays when we needed to and they did. That was the difference in the game.”
Hayes rushed for 93 yards against Sonoma and Mikel Compton added 54 on 10 carries. On defense, Ryken Villanueva and Nathan Boomer each had five solo tackles and three assists. Zane McAuley added four tackles, two assists and an interception while Colton Mendoca had two sacks.
Sonoma draws Middletown (10-1) in the championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Kelseyville High School. Middletown’s varsity clobbered Willits 30-0 in the other varsity semifinal.
In other playoff action Saturday in Lakeport, Kelseyville’s junior varsity beat Willits 27-18 while Westshore’s pee wee squad blanked Lower Lake 8-0. In other playoff action at Middletown, Middletown’s JV squad shut out St. Helena 35-0 and Middletown’s pee wee squad beat Willits 34-0.
Championship action Saturday in Kelseyville begins with the Middletown (11-0) vs. Westshore (10-1) pee wees at 3:30 p.m., the Middletown (11-0) vs. Kelseyville (10-1) JVs at 5:30 p.m., and the Middletown vs. Sonoma varsity at 7:30 p.m.
