Two long runs ended on the same Tuesday, Athenian went top of the Bay Counties League - East, and Arcata pulled clear in the Big 5.
Unbeaten runs did not last long in Division I this week.
Willits (Wolverine) beat Fort Bragg 1-0 on September 29, ending the Timberwolves' five-game winning streak. On the same night, the Bay School of San Francisco (Breakers) trailed Athenian at half-time and won 2-1, ending the Owls' eight-game unbeaten run.
By Saturday, Arcata had won twice more to stay clear at the top of the Big 5, Athenian had recovered to go top of the Bay Counties League - East, and Technology had a first win of the season.
Willits stop the leaders
Fort Bragg arrived at Willits at 10-3-1, winners of their last five and favourites on this season's results. They had also won both earlier meetings on record.
Willits, who finished 4-10-1 a year ago, led 1-0 at half-time and won by the same score. It was their first win over Fort Bragg in three meetings on record.
Fort Bragg answered with a 3-1 win over Clear Lake two days later and still lead the North Central League I at 4-1-0. Willits sit fourth at 4-2-1.
Bay School keep it going
The Bay School put their own unbeaten record on the line against an Athenian side who had won six straight. Arjun Mehrotra gave the Owls a 1-0 lead at half-time, but the Breakers came back to win 2-1 and are now 9-0-2.
Athenian did not stay down for long. College Prep (Cougars) visited on October 2 in a meeting of the Bay Counties League - East's top two, a side Athenian had not beaten in two meetings on record.
Athenian and College Prep drew 1-1 in a clash of styles. Athenian kept the ball and built patiently from the back, while College Prep looked to win it and break quickly, with senior Lucas Beamer at the centre of their best moments. One Beamer cross was met with a first-time volley that came back off the crossbar.
Senior Judah Mukome opened the scoring, set up by Nate Marek, getting on the ball after a mistake in the College Prep back line and finishing high into the net. Beamer answered for College Prep with a fine strike from just outside the box. Athenian had more of the ball after the break, but neither side found a winner, and Mukome's last effort went narrowly wide of the post.
The draw took Athenian to 4-0-1 and past College Prep into first place.
Arcata pull clear in the Big 5
Up on the North Coast, Arcata (Tigers) won twice against good sides.
They went to Eureka on September 29, a side that had won the last meeting between them, and led 5-0 at half-time on the way to a 5-0 win. Sophomore Isai Aguilar scored twice, junior Dakota Grosveld scored twice and set up another, and Micah Okin had a goal and an assist. Isaac Ingram added an assist, and sophomore keeper Owen Ingram kept the clean sheet.
The harder test came on Saturday. McKinleyville (Panthers) arrived having won five in a row, and it was 0-0 at half-time. Arcata won 2-1 with goals from Dakota Grosveld and senior Victor Vega, Micah Okin setting one up. Gaelen Creighton scored for McKinleyville, assisted by Lucas Jones.
Arcata are 11-3-2 and top the Big 5 at 7-0-1.
A hard week for Clear Lake
Back in the North Central League I, Clear Lake (Cardinal) went to Lower Lake (Trojans) unbeaten in six and lost 2-1. Sophomores Adrian Guzman and Yael Viverios each scored once and set up another. The defeat at Fort Bragg followed, where senior Levi Ewing scored Clear Lake's goal from a Mano Garcia assist.
Cloverdale (Eagle), meanwhile, ended a run of six defeats with a 5-1 win at Upper Lake.
Technology (Titan) had waited longer still. Winless all of last season at 0-15-1 and beaten in their first seven games this fall, they went to Geyserville on September 30 and won 5-2. It was their first win of the season.
Elsewhere
The International School of San Francisco (Jaguars) won twice in the Bay Counties League - Central, 2-1 over Drew School and 4-1 over Gateway. Eli Rothschild scored three goals and set up another against Gateway, and Miles Tseng scored in both games. Bentley Upper School beat Saint Joseph Notre Dame 8-0, with three goals from Koji Green and two from Chase Rose. In Lake County, Jair Inostroza Carrillo scored twice as Kelseyville beat Middletown 2-1, and Middletown then won 4-0 at Upper Lake, where Wyatt Davis scored twice.
What's next
The pick of Friday's games is a meeting of the Bay Counties League - Central's top two, as the Bay School visit International.