LAKE COUNTY — What had been one of Lake County’s best matchups in varsity football the previous three seasons turned into a lopsided affair nearly a year ago today when the visiting Middletown Mustangs ran through the Kelseyville Knights for an easy North Central League I victory.

Until the COVID-19-delayed 2020-21 sports season starts in December, the Lake County Record-Bee will take a look back at the high school happenings of a year ago and the teams and athletes who were making the headlines.

Football

Two teams that had squared off a total of six times the previous three seasons (once in the regular season and again in the North Coast Section playoffs) met in Kelseyville although the Knights were at a serious disadvantage with two of their better players, Robert Chavez and Brandon Garcia, out of the lineup while nursing injuries. Not unexpectedly, Middletown rolled to a 35-0 victory, avenging a 28-0 league loss to Kelseyville during the 2018 regular season.

Among the many standout performances for the Mustangs was a school-record-tying effort by running back/defensive back Nico Barrio, a senior, who intercepted three passes to tie the school mark held by former Mustangs standout Paul Silva. Barrio also scored two touchdowns – one rushing, one receiving – as Middletown improved to 2-0 in league action and 3-2 overall.

Middletown’s defense also limited Kelseyville to 90 yards of total offense, including only 26 in the first half.

The Knights dropped to 0-2 in league and 1-4 overall in what would be an injured-filled season for coach Erick Larsen’s squad. Middletown went on to win another NCL I title under head coach Bill Foltmer. The Mustangs’ season finally ended with a loss to eventual section and state champion St. Bernard’s of Eureka in the playoffs.

Prior to their 2019 game, four of the six previous meetings between the two schools had been decided by seven points or less, two of them (in the playoffs) by two points or less.