Middletown responded to Enfield’s second-half run with fourth-quarter scores and stops and pulled away for its fourth consecutive win, 61-49 over the Eagles on Thursday night.
Elijah Wilborn scored a team-high 21 points and the Blue Dragons outscored Enfield 15-5 over the final eight minutes to arrive at the midpoint of the season at 7-3.
Nasir McDaniel had three of Middletown’s seven 3-pointers and finished with 14 points,while Chace Petgrave and Matt Steuerwald scored 8 points apiece.
Middletown has a three-game week coming up, including home dates against Plainville on Monday and CCC South rival Platt on Wednesday. Platt is off to an 8-3 start and has won six in a row heading into its Friday game against Bristol Eastern.
Tighe Thebodeau and Isaiah Plummer scored 21 points each for Enfield.
MIDDLETOWN (7-3)
Chace Petgrave 2 4-8 8, Matt Steuerwald 2 2-4 8, Tim Vaughters 1 0-0 2, Elijah Wilborn 9 3-9 21, Nasir McDaniel 5 1-2 14, Omar Gutierrez 1 0-0 3, Marshall Butler 2 0-0 5. Totals: 22 10-23 61.
ENFIELD (3-9)
Kaden Birlaett 0 1-2 1, Josiah Whaley 1 1-2 4, Isaiah Plummer 8 1-1 21, Alex Herron 1 0-0 2, Tighe Thebodeau 8 0-0 21. Totals: 18 3-5 49
Score By Quarters
Middletown…16 18 12 15–61
Enfield……….12 11 21 5–49
3-pointers: Middletown–McDaniel 3, Steuerwald 2, Butler 1, Gutierrez 1; Enfield–Thebodeau 5, Plummer 4, Whaley 1.
In other boys basketball action on Thursday:
Cromwell 58, North Branford 40
CROMWELL (10-0)
Gianluca Albert 9 3-5 24, Louis Friend 0 0-0 0, Victor Payne 7 1-1 15, JJ Fehan 3 3-4 11, Logan Mure 0 0-0 0, Jake Salafia 1 2-4 4, Tyler Danielle 2 0-0 4, Connor McMillan 0 0-0 0, Jack Corona0 0-0 0, Sam Stergos 0 0-0 0, Jovan Marrero 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 9-14 58.
NORTH BRANFORD (2-9)
Jack Meehan 3 1-4 7, Blake Pearson 1 4-4 6, John Onofrio 0 4-5 4, Nick DeSisto 0 2-2 2, Jake Saldutti 3 2-4 10, Ben Stegina 4 0-1 9, Jordan DeJesus 1 0-0 2. Totals: 12 13-22 40.
Score By Quarters
Cromwell………..16 15 11 16–58
North Branford..11 6 13 10–40
3-pointers: Cromwell–Albert 3, Fehan 2; North Branford–Saldutti 2, Stegina 1.
Up next: North Branford at Valley Regional, Monday, 7; Cromwell vs. H-K, Tuesday, 7.
Valley Regional 49, Coginchaug 37
COGINCHAUG (2-8)
Sam Whittle 2 2 6, Francesco Marrotto 2 0 6, Connor Willett 1 1 3, Jayson Penney 4 6 15, Adam Schaffer 3 0 7. Totals: 12 9 37.
VALLEY REGIONAL (6-7)
Zach Kirla 0 0 0, Di’Angelo Jean-Pierre 2 0 6, Andrew Yermenson 1 1 3, Kevin King 2 0 4, Sam Hutchinson 7 0 14, James Marsden 5 4 16, Brayden Shea 3 0 6, Max Nickel 0 0 0, Drew Delouchary 0 0 0, Conor Quinn 0 0 0. Totals 20 5 49.
Score By Quarters
Coginchaug….8 5 10 14–37
Valley Reg…..11 14 8 16–49
3-pointers: Coginchaug–Marrotto 2, Penney 1, Schaffer 1; Valley–Jean-Pierre 2, Marsden 2.
Of note: For Valley, Jean-Pierre dished 7 assists and had 2 steals; Hutchinson grabbed 6 rebounds and had 2 blocks; and Marsden totaled 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 2 steals.
Up next: Coginchaug vs. Old Lyme, Monday, 7; Valley vs. North Branford, Monday, 7.
Xavier 53, North Haven 47
XAVIER (6-6)
Ethan Bessoni 1 2-2 4, Colby Ciampi 2 2-2 6, Vik Vakati 3 3-3 10, Anthony Parker 4 3-7 13, Aidan Driscoll 4 6-6 14, Mark Schoonmaker 3 0-2 6. Totals: 17 16-22 53.
NORTH HAVEN (1-12)
Aiden Bostico 0 2-2 2, Matt Bostico 2 1-2 6, Ryan Bernardo 1 0-0 2, Donte Velez 3 2-2 10, Maxwell Carigan 2 0-0 4, Adam Pandolfi 4 4-8 13, Matt Cocco 1 0-0 2, Brendan Grudberg 3 0-0 6, Connor Rapuano 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 9-14 47.
Score By Quarters
Xavier…………12 13 16 12–53
North Haven..10 8 8 21–47
3-pointers: Xavier–Parker 2, Vakati 1; North Haven–Velez 2, M. Bostico 1, Pandolfi 1.
Up next: Xavier at Sheehan, Monday, 7.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Valley Regional 48, Coginchaug 36
VALLEY REGIONAL (11-0)
Ava Cunningham 1 0 2, Abby Bradbury 8 5 24, Bitzy Klomp 0 0 0, Liz Allen 1 1 4, Olivia Cunningham 2 3 7, Siena Schaller 0 0 0, Lily Grow 4 2 11, Regan Grow 0 0 0, Rubee Cecchini 0 0 0. Totals: 16 11 48.
COGINCHAUG (5-6)
Allison Sambor 0 0 0, Hannah Nielsen 0 0 0, Sophie Farr 0 0 0, Serena Fournier 0 0 0, Katie Farr 1 0 2, Alyssa Woodward 3 0 7, Mia Poturnicki 0 0 0, Allison Strang 3 3 9, Jackie Kelly 0 0 0, Chloe Shafir 8 2 18. Totals: 15 5 36.
Score By Quarters
Valley Reg…..16 18 6 8–48
Coginchaug…6 13 12 5–36
3-pointers: Valley–Bradbury 3, Allen 1, L. Grow 1; Coginchaug–Woodward 1.
Up next: Valley at North Branford, Monday, 6; Coginchaug at Old Lyme, Monday, 7.
Mercy 43, Norwich Free Academy 16
NFA (1-13)
Nevaeh Yorke 6 0-0 13, Caitlin Daley 0 1-2 1, Brooke Stringer 0 0-2 0, Hannah Graham 1 0-0 2, Jordan Fabry 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 1-4 16.
MERCY (9-3)
Avery Kohs 3 0-0 6, Sophie Hedge 5 4-4 16, Ava Giansiracusa 4 1-2 10, Melina Ford 1 0-0 2, Winnie Ciccarello 1 0-0 2, Caelyn McMahon-Egan 1 0-0 3, Bella Gonzalez 2 0-0 4. Totals 17 5-6 43.
Score By Quarters
NFA……3 9 2 2–16
Mercy..18 13 7 5–43
3-pointers: NFA–Yorke 1; Mercy–Hedge 2, McMahon-Egan 1, Giansiracusa 1.
Up next: Mercy at Hand, Monday, 7.
Morgan 47, Portland 32
PORTLAND (2-9)
Liz McClelland 1 0-0 2, Hannah Brunk 2 3-3 7, Allison Scott 2 0-0 4, Morganne Pineda 2 3-6 7, Sam Lasky 5 0-0 10, Leah May 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 6-9 32.
MORGAN (8-4)
Caeley Ayer 6 2-4 18, Maeve Madura 3 0-0 9, Ava Johnson 3 0-0 9, Katie Martin 5 0-0 10, Sofie Passante 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 2-4 48.
Score By Quarters
Portland…11 8 4 9–32
Morgan….13 17 8 9–47
3-pointers: Morgan–Ayer 4, Madura 3, Johnson 3.
Of note: Johnson had a great night on the defensive end with 12 rebounds and 5 steals. Martin had 7 rebounds and 5 steals and Ayer had 4 steals.
Up next: Morgan at H-K, Monday, 7; Portland vs. Westbrook, Tuesday, 6.
Old Lyme 44, East Lyme 40
OLD LYME (5-4)
Ava Roth 1 1 3, Kate Walsh 2 2 6, Melanie Warren 1 0 2, Ali Kyle 1 2 4, Alexis Fenton 5 1 12, Megan Loflin 6 5 17. Totals: 16 11 44.
EAST LYME (4-9)
Faith Foltz 1 0 2, Bella Chambers 1 0 2, Kaitlyn DiLoreta 2 0 4, Ava Roach 3 0 7, Izzy Pazzaglia 6 1 14, Dani Bruno 2 0 4, Neva Flickinger 2 0 5, Kristin Timpano 1 0 2. Totals: 18 1 40.
Score By Quarters
Old Lyme….15 4 12 13-44
East Lyme…14 11 9 6–40
3-pointers: Old Lyme–Fenton 1; East Lyme–Roach 1, Pazzaglia 1, Flickinger 1.
Of note: Loflin had a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Fenton had 7 steals to lead the Wildcats’ defense.
Up next: Old Lyme vs. Coginchaug, Monday, 7.