Wesele leads punishing ground game; Eagles improve to 5-1
The Eagles continued to roll in varsity football action on Friday, claiming visiting Lower Lake as its latest victim in a gritty, 27-20 homecoming win.
The bruising victory extended Cloverdale’s season record to 5-1, keeping them tied with Kelseyville atop the NCL 1 standings. The Eagles will visit the Kelseyville Knights in a critical showdown this Friday, Oct. 5 in a 7:30 p.m. varsity kickoff.
“This game is for first place in league and we’re on the road, so this is going to be a true test of where we are as a team,” Eagles head coach Greg Alexander said. “The stakes don’t get much bigger than this in October.”
The teams enter Friday’s game with identical 5-1 records, with the Knights’ latest coming in a 16-0 win over Fort Bragg on Sept. 28. Kelseyville possesses a potent offense that has averaged about 40 points per game, stamping them as a tough team to contain.
“The keys for us are not getting lulled to sleep in the secondary and giving up the big play,” Alexander noted. “Offensively (the goals) are the same as usual — win the turnover battle, run the ball and be efficient in the pass game.”
Eagle’s hold off Trojans
The annual Homecoming Game on Sept. 28 was an old fashioned trench battle, as the Eagles mounted a bruising ground game led by running back Jone Wesele. The senior veteran turned in a Herculean effort, carrying the ball 35 times for a season-best 246 yards.
The teams were never separated by more than one score the entire game, as Cloverdale led 7-6 after one and 13-12 at the half. Both teams found pay-dirt in the third quarter and went to the final period with the score knotted at 20-apiece.
The Eagles, led by quarterback Shayne Turner and the durable legs of Wesele, scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and the defense came up big with a late goal-line stand as Cloverdale hung on for a 27-20 victory.
“Lower Lake gave us all we could handle,” Alexander said. “Offensively we had four turnovers but were able to dominate up front and controlled the ball with the ground game. I’m proud of our guys for their determination and grit to finish the game with a huge goal line stand.”
Turner completed seven of 11 pass attempts for 51 yards, while adding six carries for 21 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Wesele was nearly unstoppable, amassing 246 yards and three touchdowns. Cesar Buenrostro chipped in five carries for 25 yards, while adding five catches for another 25 years receiving. Other top pass catchers included Garrett Robertson (1-18 yards) and Jesus Maciel (1-8 yards).
