LAKE COUNTY — Paige Astley did for Middletown what Heaven’Lee Loans Arrow did for Higher Lake as each groups claimed undefeated league championships through the 2021-22 women basketball season.
Whereas Astley, a senior, helped information the Mustangs to a 13-0 report within the North Central League I, Loans Arrow, a junior, had her fingerprints throughout Higher Lake’s 9-0 mark within the NCL II standings. Because of their contributions through the season, Astley and Loans Arrow have been named the co-most precious gamers on the 2022 version of the All-County staff as chosen by the Lake County Document-Bee.
“She’s at all times been the rock of our staff,” stated Middletown head coach Andy Brown, who introduced final month he is not going to be returning subsequent season. “Having her on my final staff, that’s a very good word to exit on.”
Stated Higher Lake head coach Mike Smith of Loans Arrow, “Heaven has matured a lot as a basketball participant over the previous two years. She has devoted a whole lot of time creating her recreation.”
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Astley
The Mustangs scheduled up through the preseason, a transfer that significantly aided them throughout their run to the NCL I title. Middletown went 19-6 total, together with a 62-44 victory over Higher Lake through the forty ninth annual Stokes Invitational final December in Kelseyville the place Astley led the way in which with 18 factors. Loans Arrow had a team-best 13 factors for the Cougars.
“Different gamers on the staff regarded for her to paved the way,” Brown stated of Astley, the co-MVP on the All-NCL I staff this season. “She accepted the duty. She knew she might do it and she or he did. She did it each day.”
Astley’s management didn’t solely current itself on recreation days, but additionally in observe.
“She got here out day by day prepared to enhance herself on the courtroom. Different gamers would ask me how they may get extra enjoying time and I might inform them, ‘Line your self up in opposition to Paige (in observe) and present me what you are able to do.’”
Added Brown, “Going by a season is a course of, however she made each minute price it.”
Loans Arrow
Loans Arrow was a freshman starter on Higher Lake’s 2019-20 staff that gained the NCL II championship and reached the NorCal Division 5 playoffs, ending 22-6 total. She would earn a share of the league’s co-most precious participant award that season, simply as she did this yr. In fact, like different gamers all through Lake County, Loans Arrow misplaced her whole sophomore yr (2020-21) to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not like many different gamers, she used that point off to sharpen her abilities and returned stronger than ever as Higher Lake posted a 20-3 total mark this season. Sadly for the Cougars, a weak preseason schedule led to them drawing solely a No. 7 seed for the sectional playoffs (in comparison with No. 4 in 2019-20). After beating Clear Lake within the first spherical, they bumped into powerhouse Branson within the quarterfinals and misplaced 57-32. Branson, the No. 2 seed, went on to win the Division 5 title.
Upgrading his staff’s preseason schedule is excessive on Smith’s record going into subsequent season when Loans Arrow and a number of other of her teammates return for his or her senior yr and hopefully one other prolonged run into the postseason, one just like 2019-20.
First staff
Named to the All-County first staff are Middletown junior Jaidyn Brown, a defensive dynamo for the Mustangs, and freshman Mia Hoogendoorn, who opened the season as a reserve however labored her manner into the beginning lineup earlier than the yr ended. They’re joined by Higher Lake senior guard Zoey Petrie, who shared All-NCL II Most worthy participant honors with Loans Arrow this season, and Higher Lake junior heart Taylar Minnis, who supplied the Cougars with a strong submit presence.
Rounding out the All-County first staff squad is the county’s finest shooter, senior guard Sydney Howe of the Clear Lake Cardinals, the third-place staff within the NCL I.
Second staff
The All-County second staff encompasses a pair of Clear Lake juniors, guard Sierra Bruch and heart Montana Wells, Higher Lake junior guard and defensive standout Maddy Younger, who break up her winter sports activities season between basketball and wrestling, Middletown’s versatile junior guard Skylar Williams, and Decrease Lake senior guard and staff chief Margarita Cordova.
Coach of the 12 months
Brown’s closing season with Middletown couldn’t have gone a lot better. After main his staff by a difficult preseason, the Mustangs ran the desk within the NCL I and did what few different county groups have completed lately, win a postseason recreation within the ultra-difficult Division 4 playoffs.
“I had a good time teaching these women,” Brown stated.
