TROJANS MAKE EAGLES WORK

Clear Lake, Middletown squads improve to 2-0 in North Central League I play

LAYH COUNTY >> While the Cloverdale Eagles proved themselves to be on of the top varsity boys basketball teams in the North Central League I during the 201920 season, the Lower Lake Trojans put up quite a battle in the first of two league meetings between the two schools nearly a year ago today at Lower Lake High School.

Until the COVID-19- delayed 2020-21 sports season starts, the Lake County Record- Bee will take a look back at the local sports happenings of a year ago and the teams and athletes who were making the headlines.

Varsity boys basketball

Powered by 18 points apiece from Semaj Clark and Gavin Watson, the Trojans used a big third quarter to cut into a double-digit Cloverdale halftime lead and make it a 46- 40 game entering the final period.

“We changed up our defensive play at halftime, transitioning from a zone to a man,” Lower Lake head coach Marcus Humphrey said. “It really seemed to do the trick against them.”

Makhi Johnson added 10 points in the loss while Watson sank four of the Trojans’ seven 3-point field goals.

Cloverdale center Josh Lemley led the Eagles with 22 points.

“I was really proud of the guys,” Humphrey said of his Lower Lake

players. “They stepped up and did everything I asked them to do. They played their hearts out.”

In other varsity boys basketball action nearly a year ago today, Clear Lake and Middletown improved to 2- 0 in league play with easy wins. Clear Lake routed Willits 67- 46 behind 14 points apiece from Donovan Valadez and Tyler Cerini, and Middletown blew past St. Helena 6146 as the Cervantes brothers — Andres and Sammy — combined for 36 points. Both players each had 10 rebounds to complete their double- doubles.

Varsity girls basketball

In varsity girls basketball action nearly a year ago today, the Clear Lake Cardinals worked over Willits 40-29 behind 15 points from Rylee Mix, and the Middletown Mustangs rolled past St. Helena 55-22 as Paige Astley led the way with 14 points.

Both teams improved to 2- 0 in the league standings.

Falling to 0 -2 were the Kelseyville Knights after a hardfought 42- 37 loss at home to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves. Kelseyville fell behind 15- 9 after one quarter and could never erase that deficit as the Knights dropped to 0-2 in the league standings, including a close loss to Middletown in their league opener.

Allison Bryant’s 17 points and three 3- pointers paced Kelseyville.

FILE PHOTO Lower Lake’s Vann Wilkins maneuvers between two Cloverdale defenders, including Shayne Turner (11), to score two points during a 64-55 home loss to the Eagles during North Central League I play nearly a year ago today.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRETT BISHOP Clear Lake’s Rylee Mix whips the ball across the floor during a 40-29 league win over the Willits Wolverines during North Central League I play nearly a year ago today in Lakeport.

FILE PHOTO Lower Lake’s Semaj Clark goes up for a layup against Cloverdale.