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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

KIMBERLY – Aiden Owens wrote his name into the history books not once, but twice during the Chelsea Hornets’ penultimate game of the regular season with another strong performance in a win for his team.

Owens surpassed 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds in Chelsea’s 59-51 win over the Mortimer Jordan Blue Devils on Monday, Jan. 27 at Mortimer Jordan High School.

Owens is now just the sixth player in Chelsea High School history to score 1,000 career points, putting him in rarefied air in the Hornets record books.

The senior got to work early, scoring six points in the first quarter capped off by a layup to reach the milestone.

He wasn’t the only Chelsea player to strike in the first quarter as Jordan Garcia scored seven points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and Camden Harper joined him with a big shot from downtown for his lone basket of the evening.

That collective effort gave the Hornets a 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, but they weren’t done adding to it.

Garcia continued his incredibly strong night from deep with two more 3-pointers, giving him four for the first half. Brandon Griffith gave Chelsea six 3-pointers before halftime while Jack Flowers and Tyler Wells scored multiple baskets for their first points of the night.

The Hornets outscored the Blue Devils 17-13 in the second quarter to extend their halftime lead to 33-23.

Mortimer Jordan chipped into that deficit in the second half as Tanner Chandler erupted for 11 points in the third quarter after scoring seven in the first half.

Chelsea’s balanced attack helped keep it in front with six different players scoring at least one basket to combine for 13 points in the quarter. However, the Hornets lead stood at just 46-39 ahead of the fourth quarter.

The Blue Devils once again outscored Chelsea in the fourth, but the Hornets kept them at bay throughout the remainder of the game. Kyle Brown stepped up with a key and-1 while Owens knocked down his first 3-pointer of the night in the fourth.

Chelsea also hit multiple crucial free throws as a team as it finished off the victory on the road.

Garcia led the Hornets with 17 points while Owens joined him in double figures with 14 points on his big personal night. Wells scored seven points and Flowers had six points on a night when 10 different Chelsea players scored at least one point.

With the win, the Hornets improved to 10-16 on the season. Ahead of their home area semifinal matchup with Spain Park on Monday, Feb. 3, Chelsea will close the regular season with a short road trip to the Moody Blue Devils on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.