KELSEYVILLE >> If Mother Nature couldn’t stop them, the Middletown Mustangs sure as heck weren’t going to let the Kelseyville Knights and a little wet stuff get in the way of their pursuit of a ninth straight North Central League I championship in girls soccer.
Despite sloppy field conditions caused by rainfall before and during Tuesday’s game, Middletown scored four times in the first half, three of those goals coming from Caitlin Lemoine, and went on to beat the Knights 5-1. Combined with St. Helena’s 1-0 victory over Clear Lake, Middletown wrapped up the undisputed league championship under first-year coach Lamont Kucer.
“We’ve got a good group of girls,” Kucer said. “We have a good core group and I’m excited about it.”
Madison Ketchum scored in the opening minutes to put Middletown ahead to stay. Lemoine scored each of the Mustangs’ next three goals.
“We were up 3-0 in the first 10 minutes and that really set the tone,” Kucer said.
The Mustangs went up 5-0 in the second half on a Gracie Armstrong free kick before Kelseyville (5-4-4) got on the scoreboard midway through the half.
“The ball was skidding instead of bouncing because the field was so wet,” Kucer said. “We told the forwards to keep pushing the ball up the field, not to stop, and to use their bodies. They were able to get behind the defense.”
Middletown (10-0-3) has allowed only four goals in its 13 league games to date. The Mustangs can cap their undefeated league season with a win Thursday afternoon in Cloverdale. They’ll find out on Sunday where they’ve been seeded in the North Coast Section Division III playoffs, which begin next week.
“We’re happy with how the season has gone so far and are looking forward to the playoffs now,” Kucer said. “I guess I’ll get to keep my job.”
Kelseyville scoring wasn’t reported.
