LOWER LAKE — The North Coast Section Division 1 playoffs are the next stop for the Lower Lake High School boys soccer team following its 2-0 victory over the Willits Wolverines on Thursday at Gordon Sadler Field.
Lower Lake (5-3 league, 6-4 overall) closed out its North Central League I and regular-season schedule with a third straight win. The Trojans will learn Sunday who and where they’re playing Wednesday when first-round games take place.
“At least we get to go to the dance,” Lower Lake head coach Michael McMurtrey said of the Trojans involvement in the Division I playoffs. While Lower Lake won’t be a high seed, its season will go on for at least one more game.
“Anything can happen,” McMurtrey said.
Lower Lake, a 7-0 winner over Willits last week in Willits, had to work a bit harder in its rematch with the Wolverines. For starters, the Trojans were minus one of their top players, Justin Santana, who had to sit out the game after picking up a red card in Lower Lake’s 3-1 road win over Clear Lake on Tuesday. Though not available to play against the Wolverines, Santana lent his moral and coaching support from the sidelines, according to McMurtrey.
Lower Lake’s reserves helped pick up the slack for Santana’s absence.
“I guess that was one of the silver linings,” McMurtrey said.
After a scoreless first half, Lower Lake finally broke through 10 minutes into the second half on a Pedro Parra header off a Rotsen Pelcastre corner kick.
The Trojans had numerous opportunities to add to thutLat lead but Willits’ keeper stopped everything aimed in his direction, according to McMurtrey.
“It was their third-string keeper and he did great,” McMurtrey said. “We had 18 or 19 shots in the game.”
Lower Lake finally added to its lead with three mines remaining when Diego Morales came up from the defensive end of the field to score a goal and make it 2-0.
“It was a beautiful goal,” McMurtrey said.
It proved to be one more goal than the Lower Lake defense needed to help extend the Trojans’ winning streak.
“The defense played great,” McMurtrey said.
