LOWER LAKE — Zakai Vilmenay and Zack Jones scored on runs in the fourth quarter for Lower Lake’s only points in a 25-12 non-league loss to the Clear Lake Cardinals in junior varsity football action Friday in Lakeport.
Clear Lake (1-2) held a 25-0 lead at halftime.
“They were coming at us with all-out blitzes and we had trouble picking them up,” Lower Lake head coach Mike Huffman said. “We had a drive going and got down to around their 15-yard line, but we made a bunch penalties and ended up with like a first-and-40.”
Added Huffman, “We put our heads down a little bit in that first half.”
Lower Lake made some halftime adjustments and played better in the second half, according to Huffman, holding Clear Lake scoreless over the final two quarters.
Quarterback Ashton Hartmann went 14-for-36 for 114 yards, completing passes to five different receivers. Luke Campbell had seven catches for 94 yards.
On defense, the Trojans (1-1) picked off three Clear Lake passes — Vilmenay, Jones and Christian Rincon had one interception apiece.
“It was a good test for us before we play Middletown next week (at home),” Huffman said Lower Lake’s North Central League I opener this Friday against the visiting Mustangs.
Clear Lake opens its NCL I schedule Friday at home against Kelseyville (2-1). Clear Lake statistics against Lower Lake were not reported.
