MIDDLETOWN >> Middletown High School has a new career scoring leader in the sport of basketball.
Ashlyn Welton, a senior center, is that new leader after pouring in 24 points in a 49-12 victory over the St. Helena Saints on Saturday night in Middletown. Needing nine points entering play to break the old mark of 1,230 by 2008 Middletown graduate Tyler Hunt, who was in attendance, Welton tied Hunt on a three-point play with 54 seconds left in the first quarter. Fans had to wait a bit to celebrate the new record but it finally came with 5:12 remaining in the second quarter when Welton grabbed a St. Helena turnover near midcourt and scored on a driving layup, her ninth and 10th points of the night.
Play was momentarily halted as Welton circled back to her teammates and coach, who met her out on the floor just in front of the Middletown bench. Principal Bill Roderick announced the new record on the PA system before play resumed.
Middletown coach Anthony Bazzano seemed relieved that Welton’s chase for the record was over given that the Mustangs have bigger fish to fry in regard to the North Central League I race, which is in the homestretch. Middletown (10-1) trails Kelseyville (11-0) by a game and those two teams square off Friday in Middletown.
“It’s nice that it could happen at home,” Bazzano said of Welton’s record. “She’s worked hard for it, but now we have to get back to work and win some big games.”
If Welton’s record chase wasn’t distraction enough for Bazzano on Saturday, Middletown also celebrated senior night prior to the opening tip-off, introducing each to the team’s half-dozen 12th-graders — Welton, Emily Lescher, Kaleigh Alves, Miah Bazzano, Meghan Carlisle and Paige Duncan.
Bazzano let his seniors play a good chunk of the game although everyone wearing a Middletown uniform logged plenty of playing time against a winless St. Helena team (0-11) that failed to score a point in the first and fourth quarters.
“These games are difficult because it’s hard to get any kind of consistency,” Bazzano said.
And yet the weak Saints may have been the ideal opponent given all the distractions of Saturday night because the Mustangs were in no danger of losing this one, not even with a bad performance.
Middletown had a 12-0 lead after one quarter and a 27-5 advantage by halftime.
Welton scored her final two points just seconds into the fourth quarter before retiring to the bench. She also led the team with 11 rebounds. Makenzi Smith added nine points.
Hunt, who lives in the Bay Area and works in San Francisco, congratulated Welton on her record following the game and the two posed for pictures. Like Welton, he played three full seasons of varsity basketball.
The Mustangs’ final three league games are at Fort Bragg (4-7) tonight, home against Kelseyville on Friday, and at Willits on Feb. 16.
