MIDDLETOWN >> Caitlin Lemoine scored two goals and sweeper Ashlyn Welton had two assists on Thursday as the Middletown Mustangs, decked out in new uniforms, shut out the Clear Lake Cardinals 4-0 in North Central League I varsity girls’ soccer action at Middletown.
“New uniforms and a new start, that’s how the girls felt,” Middletown coach Amy Emerson said, noting that the seniors have their last names printed on the back of the uniforms while the four captains — Lemoine, Welton, Kaleigh Alves and Rosie Emerson — have the word captain printed on their sleeves.
Many of the Middletown players lost their uniforms — as well as all of their personal belongings and even their homes — during the devastating Valley Fire firestorm on Sept. 12-13. Middletown’s field, the site of Thursday’s game, was used a staging area during that fire and wasn’t in the best condition, according to Emerson.
“Conditions were not ideal, we know that, there were some dirt patches,” she said.
However, the thought of moving the game to another venue really isn’t an option for the Mustangs right now, according to Emerson, and not for purely sports concerns.
“Many of my girls lost everything they had in the fire … everything. One of the few things they didn’t lose was their school and their field. This is their field and it’s precious to them,” Emerson added. “We’re playing here.”
Middletown (5-0 league, 6-2 overall) also was without one of its All-League players, Rosie Emerson, who picked up a red card in the Mustangs’ previous game.
“I was worried about that but we had a freshman come in and do a great job,” coach Emerson said of Ellie Bazzano’s play at center-midfield.
“She’s really skilled and really fast,” Emerson said.
Middletown led 3-0 after one half on goals by Lemoine, Alves and Aly Ferguson. Lemoine scored again in the second half to make it 4-0.
Ferguson and Emma Quillen also had assists. For the senior Quillen, it was her first in high school competition.
“We’re pretty excited for her,” Emerson said.
About the only negative in Thursday’s game was the amount of talking by players on both sides, according to Emerson.
“There wasn’t the best sportsmanship out there,” she said.
Clear Lake is now 2-2-3 in league play and 3-9-5 overall.
