By Michael Letendre

BURLINGTON – It was only a matter of time before the Bristol Central girls basketball team would finally get to the pay window.

After a two-point loss to Avon to open the season on February 10, it was a bit of a rough ride over the ensuing three games.

Setbacks to Southington, New Britain and Bristol Eastern followed but against Lewis Mills on Friday night, the Rams picked up their first victory of the campaign.

Holding Lewis Mills scoreless over first quarter play, Central was able to generate a 31-20 win from the famed Thunderdome of doom in Burlington.

The CCC Region B encounter saw Central’s Janessa Bartell flip in 15 points to lead all scorers.

Ella Watson added six points while Gwen Torreso nabbed five.

Damani Hough, Brooke Watson, Arianna Rivera, and Sophia Torreso all added something to pace the winners.

Mills did not have a double-figure scorer as Lillian Martineau netted just nine points for the home team.

Central outscored Mills 7-0 over first quarter play to take the advantage early on.

Over its last three frames of play, counting that scoreless first period and the final two quarters against Eastern in their previous game, the Spartans tallied just nine total points over 24 minutes of play.

The Rams outscored Mills 11-8 in second quarter action – snaring an 18-8 edge at intermission.

The Spartans fought back, closing the deficit to 22-16 through three completed frames.

But Mills nabbed just four points the rest of the way, falling 31-20 in the end to the Rams.

Central will attempt to make it two wins in a row as the program battles Plainville from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium in Bristol on Saturday at 3 p.m.

CCC Region B girls basketball

BRISTOL CENTRAL 31, LEWIS MILLS 20

from the Thunderdome at Lewis Mills high school

Bristol Central (1-4) 7 11 4 9 – 31

Lewis Mills (1-5) 0 8 8 4 – 20

BRISTOL CENTRAL (31): Damani Hough 0 0 0, Brooke Watson 0 0 0, Arianna Rivera 1 0 2, Janessa Bartell 5 4 15, Ella Watson 3 0 6, Sophia Torreso 1 0 3, Gwen Torreso 1 2 5. Totals: 11 6 31.

LEWIS MILLS (20): Lauren Searle 0 0 0, Jordan Anderson 2 1 6, Lillian Martineau 4 1 9, Abby Jankoski 0 1 1, Brianna Pelchar 1 0 2, Grace Annonson 0 0 0, Kianna Bolleyer 0 0 0, Kayleigh Smith 1 0 2. Totals: 8 3 20.

Three-point goals: Bartell (BC), Sophia Torreso (BC), Jordan Anderson (LM).

Records: Bristol Central 1-4 overall; Lewis Mills 1-5