NCL I wins for ’Stangs, Trojans
Willits spoils Clear Lake's opener with 47-40 victory
FORT BRAGG >> An 18-7 second quarter that featured four 3-pointers helped propel the Middletown Mustangs past the Fort Bragg Timberwolves 53-28 in North Central League I girls basketball action Tuesday night in Fort Bragg.
Middletown (2-0 league, 5-3 overall) took a 9-6 lead into the second quarter that began with a 3-pointer by freshman Mia Hoogendoorn, who sank two treys in the period. Other 3-pointers from Skylar Williams and Jaidyn Brown pushed the Mustangs’ lead to 27-13, the halftime score.
“It was a big second quarter,” Middletown head coach Andy Brown said. “We were able to produce points across the board tonight. It was a team effort.”
Middletown went up as much as 36-15 on back-to-back baskets by Kamryn Atkins in the third quarter and increased its lead to 50-24 late in the fourth quarter on a Paige Astley basket.
Williams led the Mustangs with 11 points, Brown added nine, Ella Rockwell had eight and Astley seven. Amanda Hart, called up from the junior varsity, scored all six of her points in the fourth quarter. Hoogendoorn also finished with six points.
“We got into a little bit of foul trouble, so the minutes were spread out (along with the scoring),” Brown said. “We needed that. And we finally had a decent fourth quarter (outscoring Fort Bragg 15-9).”
Atkins added four points and a team-high nine rebounds for Middletown.
“It feels good to get a couple of (league) wins in the first month of the season,” Brown said of the 2-0 record the Mustangs will carry over into the new year. They resume league play Jan. 5 against St. Helena.
Jacie Clavelle’s 10 points led Fort Bragg, now 1-1 in league play and 4-4 overall. No other Timberwolf player scored more than three.
The Mustangs return to action Thursday at noon against Upper Lake (8-1) in the opening round of the Stokes Tournament at Kelseyville.
There was no junior varsity game as Fort Bragg has folded its JV program for the season.
In other girls action Tuesday:
Willits 47, Clear Lake 40
At Willits, the Willits Wolverines came alive in the third quarter to erase a 1913 Clear Lake halftime lead and beat the Cardinals, who were making their NCL I debut.
Willits, now 2-0 in league play and 5-3 overall, outscored Clear Lake 19-4 in the third quarter.
“We were playing a boxand-one on their top player (guard Lily Barrett) and doing a great job against her when their other player went off,” Clear Lake head coach Phil Psalmonds said of Willits guard Laila Britton, who scored all of her team-leading 15 points in the second half, nine of them in the pivotal third quarter. Barrett, held to four points in the first half, finished with 14.
“Pick your poison,” Psalmonds said of the Wolverines’ dangerous two-guard combo.
Sierra Bruch’s 13 points led the Cardinals (0-1, 3-5) and Sydney Howe had 10. Montana Wells finished with six.
Clear Lake’s varsity is off until the Fort Bragg Tournament on Dec. 2830. The Cardinals resume their league schedule Jan. 3 against St. Helena.
In JV action, Clear Lake defeated Willits. The final score was not reported.
Lower Lake 56, Kelseyville 37
At Lower Lake, Kyleigh Mock scored 14 of her teamleading 15 points in the second half, including two 3-pointers, and Samantha Hernandez had all eight of her points over the final two quarters as the Lower Lake Trojans notched their first win of the season in
NCL I action against the Kelseyville Knights.
Kelseyville (0-2, 0-5) had a 20-19 lead at halftime before Lower Lake’s offense came alive in the second half.
“I wish I could tell you I gave them a great halftime speech, but I was at a loss for words,” Lower Lake head coach Shannon Tubbs said after a cold-shooting first half by the Trojans (11, 1-6). “I was asking them for suggestions.”
What turned it around for Lower Lake during a 3717 second half?
“The girls just started moving the ball better as a group finally and found the open players,” Tubbs said. “We settled down and started looking for each other for dribble drives.”
Margarita Cordova turned in a strong effort for Lower Lake with 15 points, tying Mock for team-high honors, and she also led the Trojans with 10 rebounds and five steals.
“She played a really solid game all the way around.”
Izabella Salazar also pulled down eight rebounds.
“When you’re having the season we’re having, the first one (win) is the hardest to get,” Tubbs said. “It gives us something to build on. When we play like we did in the second half we’re capable of spoiling someone’s night.”
Kelseyville suited up only six players because of injuries. Larue Furlani’s doubledouble of 20 points and 12 rebounds led the team. Lilly Wiser had six points and 11 rebounds and Oliva Hommer, a freshman, had five points and 10 rebounds.
Lower Lake also won the
JV game 33-27. Ayla Ales led the Trojans with eight points while Aliana Barnes and Jenna Johnston each had six.
Both the Lower Lake and Kelseyville varsity teams return to action Thursday in the opening round of the Stokes Tournament at Kelseyville. Lower Lake plays Point Arena at 3 p.m. and Kelseyville takes on Ferndale at 6 p.m.
Upper Lake |def. Calistoga
At Upper Lake, Calistoga forfeited its NCL II varsity and junior varsity games to the Upper Lake Cougars.
Upper Lake’s varsity improves to 2-0 in league and 8-1 overall. The Cougars play Middletown noon Thursday in the opening round of the 49th annual Stokes Tournament at Kelseyville.