Trojans register quick KO
Lower Lake wrestlers need only 20 minutes to beat Fort Bragg
LAKE COUNTY >> The Lower Lake Trojans were both quick and efficient against the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in a Coastal Mountain Conference wrestling meet that took place nearly a year ago today in Lower Lake.
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.
Wrestling
After needing more than 2 ½ hours to subdue the Willits Wolverines in their conference opener a week earlier at Willits, the Trojans beat Fort Bragg 54-12 in 20 minutes.
“None of the (contested) matches went past the second round,” Lower Lake head coach Ed Fuchs said.
A rebuilding Fort Bragg squad made the two-hour-plus drive to Lower Lake with only six wrestlers. Lower Lake won five matches by pin — four in the first round — including Gilberto Orozcos’ lightning-quick 39-second pin at 147 pounds. His teammate, Bryan Gudino, needed only 45 seconds to win by pin at 108 pounds.
“Our goal was not to let them score more than 12 points and we knew we were going to forfeit at heavyweights (to give them six points),” Fuchs said of the Timberwolves. “They were hungry. They wanted this to be over as fast as possible,” Fuchs added of his wrestlers.
Lower Lake improved to 3-0 in the CMC standings with the victory and would go on to claim the undisputed conference championship.
In other wrestling action held nearly a year ago today, the Clear Lake Cardinals hosted a tri-meet against Middletown and Upper Lake and defeated both squads. Clear Lake beat an understrength Middletown squad 60-15 while Upper Lake put up a pretty good battle in a 40-33 loss to the Cardinals.
“Clear Lake went from having a small group a year ago to a big group with lots of good wrestlers this year,” Middletown head coach Brian Hunt said. “They’ve got a solid group of kids.”
Varsity girls basketball
In a North Central League II varsity girls basketball game played nearly a year ago today, the Upper Lake Cougars rolled past host Roseland University Prep 60-22 as freshman guard Maddy Young just missed a triple-double with 13 points, 15 steals and nine rebounds. Alana Sanchez finished with a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds as Upper Lake improved to 2-0 in league play and 14-3 overall.
Upper Lake started two freshman, two sophomores and the senior Sanchez against RUP.
Varsity boys basketball
Upper Lake’s varsity boys weren’t as fortunate against RUP, dropping a 63-39 decision that featured a 30-point second quarter by the host Knights.
Upper Lake struggled early against the bigger RUP squad and trailed 49-19 by halftime. Knights center Miguel Figueroa scored nearly all of his 25 points in the first half.
“He killed us on the offensive boards,” Upper Lake head coach Tony Arroyo said.
Benat Love’s nine points led Upper Lake.