LAKE COUNTY >> Kelseyville High School junior Payton Conrad and Clear Lake High School senior Tanner Hutton found themselves on the same court Wednesday night although not at the same time.
Junior varsity and varsity girls and boys basketball teams from the two schools squared off in a four-game set at Kelseyville to open North Central League I play. While the immediate goal of both players was to get their team off to a good start in league play, Conrad and Hutton, both three-year varsity veterans, are also pursuing a career milestone as they close in on 1,000 career points.
Conrad began play against Clear Lake with 922 points while Hutton tipped off against Kelseyville with 916. While neither player is likely to hit 1,000 points this week, both could do it sometime next week. Clear Lake hosts Lower Lake on Jan. 9 and visits Willits on Jan. 12. Kelseyville plays at Middletown on Jan. 9 and hosts St. Helena on Jan. 12.
Conrad would become the second member of her family to reach 1,000 career points and the junior has another full season after this one to add to that total. Her dad, Kelseyville varsity boys basketball coach Scott Conrad, is Lake County’s all-time scorer among boys with 1,717 points and second overall behind Upper Lake’s Laura Wilder (1,897). The Kelseyville record for most career points by a female is held by Shalonda Bowden with 1,201. Conrad could pass that total before the end of this season.
When Conrad and Hutton reach 1,000 points, they will become the third and fourth active players with at least 1,000 points, joining Lower Lake seniors Aleia Milano (1,448) and Hokulani Wickard (1,273).
Both Conrad and Hutton will receive 1,000-point pins courtesy of the Lake County Record-Bee once they reach the milestone.
