Last-second shot lifts Cards to win

Howe's fadeaway jumper beats Lower Lake 41-40

LAKE COUNTY >> Sydney Howe drained a fadeaway 10-foot jump shot with seven seconds remaining to lift the Clear Lake Cardinals to a dramatic 41-40 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans in a North Central League I varsity girls basketball game held nearly a year ago today at 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.

Varsity girls basketball

Trailing 40-39 with 16 seconds remaining, Clear Lake missed a shot but Howe came away with a critical offensive rebound and scored to boost the Cardinals to 3-1 in the league standings as Lower Lake slipped to 2-2.

The Trojans had time enough to put up a long 3-pointer that missed the mark as time expired,

“It was really fun,” Clear Lake head coach Phil Psalmonds said of the last-second win.

Lower Lake outscored Clear Lake 17-5 in the final period to wipe out most of a 13-point deficit through three quarters. Sam Hughes rallied the Trojans by scoring all 11 of her points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers.

“They were on fire,” Psalmonds said of the Trojans’ hot shooting from the floor down the stretch.

“It was hard walking into the locker room after the game,” said Lower Lake head coach Shannon Tubbs, who called it one of the tougher losses of his career. “The girls took it hard, but there is no quit in them …”

Howe ended up leading the Cardinals with 13 points. Alisha Jones registered a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds to power the Trojans.

In other varsity girls basketball action nearly a year ago today, the Upper Lake Cougars overpowered the host St. Vincent Mustangs in NCL II play behind 13 points from Alana Sanchez. It was the league opener for Upper Lake, which improved to 12-3 overall.

Madison Noble, Karlee Zimmerschied, Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow and Molly McCabe scored six points apiece for Upper Lake.

Varsity boys basketball

While the NCL I game between the Clear Lake and Lower Lake varsity girls teams went down to the wire nearly a year ago today, not so the varsity boys game as the Clear Lake Cardinals routed Lower Lake 77-38, their fourth NCL I win in as many tries.

All 11 Clear Lake players who suited up for the game reached the scoring column, led by Tyler Cerini with 17 points, Jaron Mertle with 12, and Matthew Martin with 10. Vann Wilkins’ 14 points led the Trojans.

In other varsity boys action nearly a year ago today, Kelseyville defeated Willits 50-31 for its first

league win. Willits had just ended a 44-game league losing streak in its previous outing against Lower Lake, but the Wolverines couldn’t make it two victories in a row. Bodhi Baird led the Knights with 14 points and

Joey Mendonca added more.

In NCL II play, Upper Lake dug itself an 18-10 hole after one quarter against St. Vincent and couldn’t climb out of it, eventually falling 50-44 to the Mustangs in Petaluma. Jay Arroyo’s 13 points and three 3-pointers led the Cougars in the league opener for both teams.

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