LOWER LAKE — Cloverdale’s running game propelled the Eagles to a 42-0 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans in North Central League I varsity football action Friday night at Gordon Sadler Field.
Cloverdale (4-2 league, 6-3 overall) enters the final week of the regular season in a four-way for second place in the NCL I standings, one game behind Clear Lake (5-1, 8-1), which is the team the Eagles host next Friday. Kelseyville, Middletown and Willits are also 4-2.
Lower Lake (0-6, 1-8) again struggled on offense and finished with less than 50 yards rushing.
“We couldn’t move the ball,” Lower Lake head coach Jay Jakubowski said. “We had a lot of three-and-outs.”
Lower Lake’s defense fared better as the Trojans trailed just 22-0 at halftime.
“The defense played well all night,” Jakubowski said. “We played well in the secondary, had a good pass rush off the edge. We had a couple of sacks.”
Cloverdale took advantage of a muffed punt to score one of its touchdowns and blocked a Lower Lake punt to set up another score. The Eagles’ defense also got into the act with a pick-six touchdown.
On offense, Eagles freshman quarterback Mason Caturegli hurt the Trojans with a handful of runs, including a 50-yard touchdown.
Lower Lake’s standouts on defense include defensive ends Fernando Martinez and Anthony Chadwick, Zander Carver, who led the team in tackles, and Quentin Vilmenay.
Lower Lake did win the junior varsity game 42-0.
The Trojans wrap up their season next Friday in Kelseyville.
