WINCHESTER — With control of the Middlesex League title on the line, it was a sophomore who rose to the occasion.

Jack Charchaflian scored 19 points while senior captain Alex Casey poured in 16 points as Winchester defeated Arlington, 63-55, in front of a packed house on Friday night at Winchester High School.

The win gives the Red and Black (13-1) a two-game lead in the race for the league championship. Arlington wing and returning league MVP James Dingman led all scorers with 24 points.

“It was a great win for us in front our home fans Winchester coach John Fleming said. “Jack and Alex have been our guys offensively and they both stepped up tonight.”

Winchester now leads Arlington and Lexington by two games each in the league race. Four league games remain for the Red and Black including a home game with Lexington on February 7.

Courtesy of 10 points from Casey, Winchester held a 38-28 lead at the half. The Spy Ponders answered with Jack Zambardino engineering a 10-1 run to trim the deficit to 39-37 midway through the third. Dingman gave the Spy Ponders the lead with four straight points, but Casey connected from three-point land at the buzzer to push Winchester back in front 48-45 after 3.

Dingman kept Arlington right in it as he buried a triple to cut the Red and Black lead to 52-50 with 5:44 remaining. Winchester got the last laugh. Charchaflian laid it home off a handoff from the elbow to stretch the lead to four, and moments later sunk a jumper to put Winchester up eight and end Arlington’s hopes of a road win.

Dawson English provided a put-back at the buzzer to give Winchester a 19-16 lead after one. The hosts stretched their lead in the second with Casey hitting from three point land to put Winchester on top 29-20.

Dingman worked to keep the visitors within striking distance scoring 12 through the first 16 minutes but Winchester managed a 38-28 lead at the break.