By Ted Waddell
ROSCOE — December 17, 2004 – It was a devil of a game.
On Monday night, the host Lady Blue Devils of Roscoe squeaked by the Margaretville Lady Blue Devils 41-36 in a non-league game that could have seen either basketball team emerge victorious.
In the opening quarter, Margaretville jumped out to a four-point lead at 9-5. But in the second period, the Roscoe Lady Blue Devils devils fought back to edge the visitors, 9-7.
At the half, Margaretville headed off to the locker room with a 16-14 lead.
In the third period, Roscoe dominated the out-of-town devils 14-5. But Margaretville, a Section IV Class D team, battled back and outscored them by a 15-13 margin in the final frame.
At one point in the fourth period, Roscoe (2-2) was up 28-21, only to watch the Lady Blue Devils of Margaretville (0-8) step up to the free- throw line almost more times than the scorekeeper could count in a series of “freebies” that seemed destined to swing the balance of the game in its closing minutes.
Roscoe’s April Hodge scored a game-high 19 points.
Margaretville was paced by Erica Hubbell, who netted 16 points, and Kirstie Sanford, who recorded 11.
Hubbell was 12-of-14 (86 percent) at the free-throw line.
As a team, Margaretville converted 21-of-35 (60 percent) shots from the foul line. Roscoe was 8-of-11 (73 percent) at the line.
“I thought it was an exciting game, good for both teams,” Margaretville Coach Kyle Holden said.
“Erica Hubbell did an outstanding job controlling the boards for us and Kirstie Sanford was there when we had a need for speed,” he added.
“We’ve had a few beatings [in earlier games], but it was good to have a meaningful game,” Holden said.
Last year, Roscoe was forced to drop its girls’ varsity basketball program due to a lack of players.
This year’s squad is young, but determined to learn the game.
A team of three seniors (Hodge, Colleen Houghtaling and Brittany Mootz) and junior Kendra Harris is completed by a trio of sophomores and an equal number of freshmen.
“It was a good game,” Roscoe Coach Becky Ahart said. “Both teams played competitively, and they were very well-matched.”
Her take on the season?
“We had a rocky start, but I think the girls will get it together,” Ahart said. “It’s a very young team.”