A comeback in Kelseyville, a new leader in the North Central League II and two long runs ended on the coast made for the best games of the last two weeks.
Willits arrived at Kelseyville on September 22 with a 1-6-2 record, one win from nine games. Kelseyville (Knight) were last season's North Central League I champions, had won both previous meetings on record and went in as favourites on this season's results. Kelseyville led 2-1 at half-time, with goals from Omar Mercado Marquez and Angel Bernal and an assist from Jorge Gonzalez. Willits (Wolverine) won 3-2.
It was the first time Willits had beaten Kelseyville in three meetings on record, and it was no one-off. Two days later they beat Upper Lake 1-0, two wins in three days for a side that had managed one in their first nine games and had gone 4-10-1 a year ago.
The top of the North Central League II changed hands on September 16. Credo (Gryphon) began the week of September 14 at the top of the table, 8-1-0 overall and on a four-game winning run. On September 16 they went to Sonoma Academy (Coyotes), last fall's league champions, in a meeting of the league's top two. Sonoma Academy led 1-0 at the break and won 3-0 to take over first place, improving to 7-0-0. Marcel Nsizoa Ndi scored twice and Maddox Rogers once, with assists from Teo Foehl, Ben McCauley and Fabian Pardo. Freshman keeper Atticus Resch kept a clean sheet.
Credo had no time to recover. A day later McKinleyville (Panthers) won 4-1 at Credo. Gaelen Creighton scored a hat trick, Dillon Vargas got the other goal and Lucas Jones had three assists. The next day Calistoga (Wildcats) came away from Credo with a 3-3 draw, with Kevin Munguia and Leo Ramos among their scorers. Credo are still without a win over Calistoga in three meetings on record. Three games in three days had brought two defeats, a draw and a drop to second place.
For McKinleyville, the win at Credo was the start of a strong week. Two days later they went to Del Norte (Warriors), who were unbeaten in seven, and won 2-1. Becker Rine and Ayden Burtchett scored, both set up by Jones, who now had five assists in two games. Dale Ramirez scored for Del Norte. It was only McKinleyville's second win over Del Norte in six meetings on record, and it took Del Norte off the top of the Big 5 and put Arcata (Tigers) there. Del Norte have not won since. They drew 0-0 with Arcata on September 22, when Owen Ingram kept a clean sheet for the Tigers, and lost 1-0 to Eureka four days later.
The best run on the coast belongs to Fort Bragg (Timberwolves). They beat Kelseyville 3-1 on September 15, with Oscar Estrella Jr scoring and Tyler Rhoads making nine saves, and have not lost since. Estrella scored six goals across three of those wins, including a hat trick in a 3-1 win over Lower Lake. On September 26 Fort Bragg welcomed Mendocino (Cardinals), who had also won five in a row. Leo Donley had scored twice in each of the last two, a 5-2 win at Technology and a 2-0 win at Geyserville New Tech Academy. Fort Bragg led 1-0 at half-time and won 1-0 for their sixth straight win. They are now 10-3-1, and 4-0-0 in league play. Things got worse for Mendocino on Monday, when Calistoga beat them 6-0 at home.
In San Francisco, The Bay School (Breakers) had won six straight and were 8-0-1 when International (Jaguar), last season's Bay Counties League - Central champions, came to visit on September 25. The Bay School and International drew 0-0, and it was goalless at half-time too. Bradshaw Lambert kept a clean sheet for International. International have now gone four meetings on record without losing to the Breakers, who still top the league at 2-0-1. International arrived in form: Eli Rothschild had scored four in an 8-2 win over San Francisco Waldorf and four more in a 5-1 win over Drew School.
Elsewhere, Fremont Christian (Warriors), who won only twice all of last season, ended a six-game wait for their first win of this one by beating California Crosspoint 7-0. Freshman Joseph Sung scored three and set up three, and Judah Lawson scored twice. Eight days later, Sung scored another hat trick in a 4-1 win over Contra Costa Christian. Saint Maximilian Catholic School ended Cristo Rey De La Salle's 4-0-0 start, with Jorge Cruz scoring a hat trick and Alexander Silva scoring the other goal. Cristo Rey De La Salle trailed 3-1 at half-time and lost 4-2. And in the wildest game of the two weeks, Oakland Military Institute beat Drew School 6-5.
Wednesday brings the next test at the top of the North Central League II, with Mendocino at Sonoma Academy and Calistoga at Tomales, while McKinleyville host South Fork.