MIDDLETOWN >> And so the countdown begins for the Middletown High School girls soccer team, a 5-0 winner over the Fort Bragg Timberwolves on Thursday afternoon at Middletown.
It was the start of the second half for both of these North Central League I squads and Middletown, now 8-0 in the league standings and 13-2-2 overall, took another significant step toward a 10th straight league championship, which is by far the longest run of success any Lake County high school varsity sports team has enjoyed in a long, long time.
The Mustangs have six games remaining, including a key Oct. 24 matchup at St. Helena against the once-beaten Saints (7-1), and can guarantee themselves no worse than a co-championship with five more wins, perhaps fewer, depending on how St. Helena fares the rest of the way.
“We played very solid in the first half and got ourselves the lead that we wanted,” Middletown coach Lamont Kucer said of the Mustangs’ 4-0 halftime advantage. “We emptied the bench (in the second half) and our other girls kept up the strong play.”
Aly Ferguson sandwiched her two goals around a Sophie Kucer score to give Middletown a 3-0 lead. Julisa Garcia added another goal to make it 4-0.
“We were a little disappointed with the way we passed the ball in our last game against Lower Lake,” Kucer said. “Today we really stepped it up. We talked, we moved, we executed our passes all game.”
Kassi Agapoff added an insurance goal in the second half for Middletown. Assists went to Garcia, Kucer, Ferguson and Estafani Hurtado.
Middletown received strong play from its midfield and defense. Garcia’s play in the midfield really stood out, according to Kucer.
“She was excellent all over the field,” Kucer said. “She gave us great all-around play.”
On the defensive end of the field, both Gracie Armstrong and Olivia Kucer stepped up.
“Gracie did a great job of jumping in front and settling the ball, then making a nice pass. She started a lot of plays for us. Olivia Kucer did the same.”
Middletown hosts Willits on Tuesday.
In other girls soccer action Thursday:
K’ville 3, Lower Lake 2
At Lower Lake, Brisa Villa’s second goal of the game proved to be the difference in Kelseyville’s league win over the Lower Lake Trojans.
Villa and teammate Cassidy Griffin scored in the first half for Kelseyville (3-5, 4-7) as the Knights built a 2-1 halftime lead. Villa’s goal early in the second half bumped Kelseyville’s advantage to 3-1 before Lower Lake (0-8, 0-11) closed the gap with 15 minutes remaining.
“The girls figured out how to put some goals in the net,” Kelseyville coach Eric Hoefler said. “That’s something we haven’t done for the last two and a half weeks. The water came back on. Someone finally paid the bill.”
Kat Brown assisted on two of the Kelseyville goals while Sayra Cacho also picked up an assist.
The Knights are home Tuesday to play Fort Bragg.
