MIDDLETOWN >> The Middletown High School varsity girls’ basketball team began defense of its North Central League I title with a 41-33 victory over the Lower Lake Trojans in varsity girls’ basketball action on Tuesday night in Middletown.
The team win for the Mustangs (1-0, 8-4) also included an individual milestone as senior center Ashlyn Welton collected career point No. 1,000. Elevated to the varsity level late in her freshman season, Welton entered play against Lower Lake needing 15 points to reach the 1,000 mark. That 15th point came on a shot from underneath the basket with 4:06 remaining in the second quarter, making her the fifth player in the school’s history to reach 1,000 points. Welton, who finished with a team-leading 27 points, has a good shot at breaking the school’s all-time scoring mark of 1,230 points held by Tyler Hunt.
“It’s pretty special and I’m really proud of the kid,” Middletown coach Anthony Bazzano said. “She plays as hard as any kid I’ve ever coached with the ball in the air.”
Lower Lake (0-1, 8-4) was trailing only 24-23 midway through the third quarter when it lost point guard Samantha Caires to a concussion.
“She was trying to block a shot and she landed on her back and head,” Lower Lake coach Bryce Brin said of the sophomore. “We were right there with them until she left the game.”
“She went down hard and it stopped the game for about 20 minutes as the medics attended to her,” Bazzano said. “When play resumed we were a little more focused than they were and pushed our lead back up (to double digits).”
Middletown emerged from the third quarter with a 36-23 lead.
“We didn’t play a very good fourth quarter and I’m not real pleased about that,” Bazzano said.
Aleia Milano led the Trojans with 14 points, including three 3-pointers. Caires added seven points.
Abby Aden had seven points for the Mustangs, who opened up an early lead by pounding the ball inside to Welton, who scored the team’s first 10 points.
Lower Lake won the junior varsity game 47-42 behind 16 points from Vanessa Hughes and 10 each from Catie Pesonen and Ayvree Smith.
