North Central League I champions have four players honored
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LAKE COUNTY >> Jon Hawkins slammed home more dunks during his senior season at Middletown High School than the next two, three of four all-time county dunk leaders did collectively during their careers.
While the spectacular one- and two-handed jams were unlike anything the county has seen before, it was Hawkins’ overall game and on-court leadership that helped propel the Mustangs to a second straight North Central League I championship in 2025-26 and another trip to the North Coast Section playoffs.
Hawkins, who is headed to the College of Idaho to continue his education and athletic career, is the most valuable player on the 2026 edition of the All-Lake County boys basketball team as selected by Lake County Sports.
Middletown separated itself from the field over the final three weeks of the NCL I race to claim another league pennant. The Mustangs won six of their final seven to emerge from a pack of title contenders and finish 11-3. They reached the quarterfinals of the sectional playoffs before falling to eventual section runner-up Sonoma Academy.
First team
All-County first-team players include two of Hawkins’ teammates, sophomore center Emmitt Lloyd and junior guard Harrison Brown, two of the building blocks for the Mustangs’ 2026-27 squad.
Brown, a second-year varsity player, should reach the 1,000-point career milestone next season, something Hawkins accomplished late in his senior year. Lloyd, who stands 6-foot-9, is still learning the game, a scary thought for other league teams that have to deal with him for two more seasons.
Other first-team selections are Clear Lake senior guard Zane McAuley, who was one of four county players to top 1,000 points during the 2025-26 season; Kelseyville sophomore Gordon Astrup, a solid down-low player for the Knights; and Lower Lake sophomore forward/center Noah Hakala, a second-year varsity player who is on a pace to become one of the county’s all-time career scoring leaders.
Second team
Earning All-County second-team honors are Clear Lake senior guard/forward AJ Bruch, Kelseyville junior and 3-pointer sharpshooter Nick Arredondo, Middletown sophomore guard Willy Tadder, one of the top defenders in the league, Lower Lake junior forward Tucker Benson, Upper Lake sophomore guard Tj Malicay, and Upper Lake senior guard Landen Robinson.
Coach of the Year
Jake Diehl of Middletown is the county’s Coach of the Year after leading the Mustangs to back-to-back league championships.
