KELSEYVILLE — Desperately needing a win to keep their season afloat, the Kelseyville Knights responded in a big way, upsetting the Cloverdale Eagles 52-41 in a North Central League I shoot-out Friday night at Kelseyville.
The Knights (2-2 league, 2-5 overal) led almost the entire way while knocking Cloverdale (3-1, 5-2) out of a first-place tie with Clear Lake (4-0, 7-0) in the league standings. Although the Eagles reached the end zone first to go ahead 7-0, they never saw the lead again. Kelseyville scored 24 unanswered points to take control of the game and led by as many as 25 points until late in the fourth quarter when Cloverdale closed to 46-41 with a little more than two minutes remaining.
Kelseyville finally put the game away on a Anthony DeJohn 35-yard touchdown run with 1:03 left.
“They were giving me a heart attack,” Kelseyville head coach Erick Larsen said.
With senior offensive lineman/defensive tackle Steven Frace returning to the lineup after sustaining an injury earlier this season, the energized Knights scored 40 first-half points, converting all five of their two-point conversions following touchdowns.
“There was a bonfire tonight and he brought the matches,” Larsen said of Frace, a team leader.
Kelseyville’s offense was relentless, especially in the first half, with a huge assist from the line, according to Larsen.
“The line did a good job of opening all those holes. We had a lot of big plays on offense, but that really was a deciding factor,” Larsen said of the team’s success on its conversions. “We decided just to go for it, it was a really mano-o-mano thing. We just got after them and wouldn’t back down.”
Kelseyville also had plenty of motivation from a high school sports publication that had the Knights as three-touchdown underdogs going into the Cloverdale game, according to Larsen.
“It was a big-time win for us,” Larsen said. “The kids knew they had their backs against the wall and they really came through. I’m really happy for them because we’ve been hustling all season without much to show for it. Tonight the ball bounced our way and it hasn’t been doing that all season.”
Kelseyville’s numbers were pretty impressive, including 430 rushing yards out of nearly 600 yards of total offense.
After spotting Cloverdale a quick 7-0 lead, Kelseyville’s offense flipped into the on position and stayed there the rest of the game.
Kyle Watkins (nine carries for 130 yards) got things rolling with a 2-yard run before fullback Sam Vanoven scored the first of his four straight two-point conversions to put Kelseyville ahead to stay at 8-7. Luke Watkins’ 55-yard pass to Reme Strong made it 16-7.
In the second quarter, Kyle Watkins broke loose on a 75-yard run to make it 24-7 before Cloverdale answered with a touchdown to close to 24-14. But not for long. Luke Watkins and Strong hooked up again seconds later, this time on an 81-yard touchdown pass, to put the Knights in front 32-14. After the Eagles cut the deficit to 32-21, DeJohn (three carries for 155 yards) torched the Cloverdale defense for an 80-yard scoring run and a 40-21 halftime lead as Luke Watkins added the conversion run.
The Knights opened up their biggest lead of the night to start the third quarter as Luke Watkins scored on a 5-yard run for a 46-21 lead. The Eagles were far from done, however. Their touchdown near the end of the third quarter made it 46-28, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
In the fourth quarter, the Eagles scored twice late, the second TD following a successful onside kick, to cut Kelseyville’s lead to 46-41.
The Knights recovered the ensuing onside kick before finally putting the game away on DeJohn’s back-breaking 35-yard run.
There weren’t enough game balls to go around at game’s end, according to Larsen.
“Luke Watkins played amazing on defense (12 tackles, one sack) and amazing on offense,” Larsen said. “He became a real field general tonight.”
And then there was DeJohn.
“He ran the ball like a demon tonight,” Larsen said.
Strong, Kyle Watkins and Vanoven also went above and beyond, according to Larsen.
“Sam Vanoven was just a grinder tonight, getting the tough yards for us,” Larsen said of the senior’s 65 yards on 15 carries.
Luke Watkins completed four of seven passes, Strong’s only two receptions resulting in touchdowns. Strong also had a reception on defense as he picked off a Cloverdale pass.
For Kelseyville’s defense, Jayden Teabo had eight tackles (five for losses) and three assists, including two of Kelseyville’s six sacks on the night. Frace, Alexis Martinez, Nacho Pille-Montero and Luke Watkins also had sacks.
The play of Kelseyville’s defensive tackles, Martin, Pille-Montero and JoseCarmen Calvillo, also was instrumental in shutting down the running lanes for Cloverdale freshman quarterback Mason Caturegli, according to Larsen.
“And even then he (Caturegli) was tough to stop, but we did a good job of containing him,” Larsen said.
Running back Diesel Cavallo scored four of the Eagles’ touchdowns, two rushing and two receiving.
Kelseyville made good use of its bench, according to Larson.
“We were able to rotate kids in and out and keep them fresh,” Larsen said.
Kelseyville is home again next Friday to play St. Helena (1-3, 3-4).
The Knights also won the junior varsity game in convincing fashion, 50-6.
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