LAKE COUNTY — In the end, the Upper Lake Cougars fell to the very best as they closed out a historic 29-3 campaign with a loss to the team, the Bret Harte Bullfrogs of Angels Camp, that went on to win a state championship.
And while the Cougars played Bret Harte to a 19-19 tie in the first half before their offense stopped scoring in a 49-24 loss in the quarterfinal round of the NorCal Division 5 playoffs, it would be pretty hard — better make that impossible — to find fault with anything Upper Lake did during the 2022-23 season.
While tying school and Lake County records for most wins in a single season, Upper Lake pinned two more pennants on the wall — one for a third straight North Central League II championship and the other for finishing second in the North Coast Section Division 5 playoffs. The Cougars went 14-0 in league and 4-2 in the postseason, which also ties the county record for most playoff victories in a single season.
And this team wasn’t even at full strength for the last month of its season. No matter. The Cougars adapted and overcame all obstacles, including losing an entire year to the COVID-19 pandemic, until Bret Harte ended their sweet ride.
A senior-dominated team, Upper Lake made its experience and years of hard work pay off in the end. As a result, the Cougars are front and center when it comes to selections for the 2023 All-Lake County basketball team as picked by the Lake County Record-Bee.
Co-MVPs
There was nothing close to matching senior guard Maddy Young’s defensive intensity in the Redwood Empire small-school ranks and the Cougars were a completely different team on those rare occasions when she wasn’t on the floor. Her offense picked up toward the end of the season and in the playoffs, an added bonus given all the mayhem she caused with her quick hands, quick feet and unrelenting pressure on defense.
While All-County co-MVP Young held down the Upper Lake defense, senior center and All-County co-MVP Taylar Minnis came into her own as a post player during the season and provided the Cougars with a down-low presence that opponents found nearly impossible to stop. Upper Lake’s leading scorer also was a strong rebounder on a team that hit the boards ferociously at both ends.
First team
The All-County first team is a mix of seniors and underclassmen. The seniors are Upper Lake forward Madison Noble, Clear Lake forward Montana Wells and Clear Lake center Abby Mertle. The underclassmen are Lower Lake junior guard Tiahna Tubbs and Middletown sophomore guard Mia Hoogendoorn.
Noble, a solid inside presence for the Cougars, often benefited from all the defensive attention other teams directed toward Minnis.
Wells and Mertle, Clear Lake’s most consistent scorers and rebounders, helped the Cardinals finish 13-3 in league, which tied them for second place with Middletown, and a 17-7 overall record that included a first-round playoff win over International in the North Coast Section Divsion 5 playoffs. The Cardinals lost to University in the second round, the same team that went on to beat Upper Lake in the Division 5 championship game.
Tubbs, Lake County’s best outside shooter, averaged 17.4 points a game while also leading the Trojans in assists and steals. Lower Lake ended up tied for fifth in the final NCL I standings at 5-11 and was 8-18 overall.
Hoogendoorn was Middletown’s leading scorer and also ranked high in most of the team’s statistical categories. The Mustangs overcame a slew of injuries to finish tied with Clear Lake for second in the final league standings at 13-3, and they were 19-7 overall, earning an at-large berth in the Division 4 playoffs where they lost 47-27 to McKinleyville in first-round action.
Second team
All-County second-team honors go to Upper Lake senior Kat Lopez-Geary, Middletown seniors Skylar Williams and Jaidyn Brown, Clear Lake senior Sierra Bruch and Lower Lake junior Rebecca Theodorou.
Lopez-Geary, like many of her Upper Lake teammates, played some of her best basketball in the postseason.
Williams did a little bit of everything for Middletown at both ends of the floor while teammate Brown, who battled injuries all season and played at less than 100 percent down the stretch, was the Mustangs’ undeniable defensive leader. When she was off the floor, Middletown was an entirely different team. If she had gone through the season healthy, it might have Middletown and not Fort Bragg (15-1) taking home the NCL I title.
Bruch didn’t have the season she wanted, especially on the scoring end, but she still helped Clear Lake contend for a league championship and reach the quarterfinals of the Division 5 sectional playoffs.
Theodorou, the Lower Lake center, had a breakthrough season for the Trojans. She led the team in rebounds and blocked shots and also provided the team with a bit of scoring punch inside.
Coach of the Year
Upper Lake co-head coaches Annie Pivniska-Petrie and Raelene Cromwell, both Upper Lake alumni, guided the Cougars to an incredible year that among other things included a 21-game winning streak during one stretch.
Upper Lake was the class of Lake County basketball in 2022-23 without question.
