LAKE COUNTY — Only two Lake County teams were in action during Week 1 of the 2022 high school football season, which offered little in the way of highlights for the Middletown Mustangs, 7-0 losers at home to St. Mary’s of Albany, or the Kelseyville Knights, 71-13 losers on the road to the Del Norte Warriors.
Week 2 should solve that lack-of-highlights drought as four county teams — everyone but Kelseyville — are in action. Playing at home again is Middletown against small school powerhouse Bradshaw Christian (1-0) while the Clear Lake Cardinals open their season at home again Pierce (0-1), a 21-13 loser at home against Orland on Friday night. Hitting the road this Friday for season openers are Lower Lake at Rio Vista (1-1) and Upper Lake at Laytonville. Rio Vista, a member of the Sac-San Joaquin Section, has already played twice, including a 57-0 home over Millennium on Friday, and a 57-0 road loss to Orestimba on Aug. 19.
Kelseyville has the bye this weekend before returning to action at home Sept. 9 against Fortuna.
Following are some of the highlights/lowlights from an abbreviated Week 1 schedule:
Statistics
Rushing — Tough week. Middletown didn’t gain a single first down rushing in its loss to St. Mary’s, and it would take some serious record searching to find out the last time that happened — if ever — to a Bill Foltmer-coached team at Middletown. Three different players rushed for seven yards to tie for the team high against the Panthers, who were bringing people up the middle all night long to clog up the running lanes. In Kelseyville’s loss to Del Norte, quarterback Luke Watkins did run for a touchdown in the third quarter for the Knights’ first points of the game and season.
Passing — Middletown quarterback Hunter Hartzog did OK for his varsity debut although he didn’t have much time to throw the ball against a St. Mary’s defense that sacked him three times and harried him most of the night. The senior went 7-for-15 for 94 yards and an interception (on the final play of the game). Kelseyville’s Luke Watkins completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Reme Strong for the Knights’ final touchdown against Del Norte.
Receiving — Middletown sophomore wideout Troy Taber had three catches for 65 yards while tight end Evan Harper had one reception for 24 yards.
Special teams
Out of nowhere — While players from both teams acted as if the play was dead — though no whistle had sounded — Middletown lineman Jacob Pullman scooped up a punted ball that had rolled to a stop and returned it from deep in Mustangs territory to the St. Mary’s 10 in the final minutes of Friday’s game and Middletown trailing 7-0. Middletown gained five yards on a running play on first-and-goal before the drive stalled on downs.
Defense
Not bad — Middletown’s defense had a handful of clutch stops against St. Mary’s but the Mustangs’ tackling was not good in the season opener, including a handful of out-and-out whiffs in some key situations. Middletown’s defense also was helped by a bunch of St. Mary’s penalties.
This and that
Empty seats — Too many for a Middletown home opener, especially a season opener, but perhaps a sign of the times.
Could have used them — Middletown alumni Brody Breeden, Luke Hoogendoorn and Cole Ketchum took in Friday’s game. Ketchum’s next stop is the U.S. Marine Corps.
The Hayes report — Clear Lake junior Cody Hayes and freshman brother Jesse weren’t in action this week, so stay tuned for Friday’s home opener against Pierce.
Down on the farm — Won’t be long now before I can visit Topper the Pig at Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, which hosts Middletown and Lower Lake home cross country races. Topper is my second favorite pig of all time behind Arnold Ziffel (kids, ask your parents, parents ask your parents).
Speaking of cross country— Middletown’s runners open their season schedule Friday at the Lagoon Valley Classic in Vacaville. The first round of Coastal Mountain Conference races is Sept. 7.
Results — Why aren’t the results for (fill in the team name and the sport) in the newspaper? No one reported them, that’s why. Results can be phoned in at 707-889-1132 or emailed to RBSports@aol.com or to bsumpter@record-bee com … and it’s as easy as that, but your conspiracy theories are entertaining.
Tough road — St. Mary’s was the easiest of Middletown’s three non-league opponents, according to head coach Bill Foltmer. The next two are Bradshaw Christian (1-0) and St. Patrick/St. Vincent (1-0).
The best quote that won’t find print — Bill Foltmer on what might have happened if he had been coaching on the St. Mary’s sidelines Friday night.
Switcharoo — Upper Lake was scheduled to host Potter Valley on Thursday night in eight-man action, but that fell through and the Cougars are now headed to Laytonville on Friday. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
LIV golf — Minor leagues, USFL, etc.
Undefeated — The Upper Lake girls soccer team took a 6-0 record into the new week. The Cougars were at Willits on Monday and are home against Lower Lake on Tuesday.
Unhealthy obsession — ESPN (Channel 80 on Sirius XM) seems to operate under the mistaken assumption that the New York Jets, New York Giants and Chicago Bears are worth caring about.
NCL I volleyball — Since joining the North Central League I last year, Roseland University Prep’s varsity volleyball team is undefeated (17-0). The Knights ran the table in league play a year ago and are off to a 2-0 start this year. They visit Clear Lake (2-0) on Thursday.
Around the NCL I — Fort Bragg’s varsity football team beat the snot out of my alma mater, Healdsburg, 37-0 on Friday night in Healdsburg. Lower Lake plays at Healdsburg on Sept. 16. In other games involving NCL I teams Friday, Willits shut out Piner 29-0, Cloverdale fell 48-7 to Ripon Christian, and St. Helena smacked Justin-Siena 28-0.
Winner, winner — Middletown’s junior varsity squad pounded St. Mary’s 36-8 for the first victory by a county football team this season. The big question is who will get the last?
