Sports

By John Berhardt
The Mountain Division tightened in Delaware League boys’ basketball when Roxbury split two contests as South Kortright and Gilboa crept closer to the first-place Rockets. Heading into last night’s action, Roxbury was atop the standings at 4-2 with SK and Gilboa a whisker behind at 4-3. Roxbury hosted South Kortright last night but the results of that key match-up could not be received before the Catskill Mountain News publishing deadline.

By John Bernhardt
It was table-setting time Saturday for the Roxbury girls’ basketball team as the Rockets defeated Laurens, 47-24, in the consolation game of the Stamford Tournament.

promising sign for Roxbury has to the offensive output of senior guard Kennedy Faraci. Faraci scored a career-high 26 points against Laurens on Saturday to follow up a 24-point effort in the tournament’s opening round over the holiday break. Faraci netted three, three-point goals and went five for seven from the free throw line to help topple Laurens.

By John Bernhardt
It was a game of scoring streaks in the Margaretville gym Friday night. The Downsville and Margaretville girls’ basketball teams traded scoring spurts throughout the contest. The Eagles would record the final run, a spree that allowed them to create enough separation from their hosts to take home a 47-40 victory.

By John Bernhardt
Shock and awe describes the Margaretville boys’ basketball team’s long-range artillery in Downsville last Thursday night. The Blue Devils opened the game with a blistering outside shooting display, amassing 27 first-period points in a 66-34 rout of their hosts. Nine, three-point Margaretville bombs would hit the mark on the night.

By John Bernhardt
Looking for their second tournament championship of the young season, the Margaretville boys’ basketball team blew by Gilbertsville- Mount Upton, 49-15, in the opening round of the Downsville Tournament on Friday.

The Blue Devils, who won the MCS Booster Club Tournament earlier in the month, will play Roscoe for the championship at a date and time that has not yet been determined. Saturday’s snowstorm knocked out consolation and championship action scheduled for Saturday.

By John Bernhardt
The winter of 2005-2006 was the last time the South Kortright boys’ basketball team didn’t win the Delaware League Mountain Division title. That winter, Andes edged Downsville to win the Delaware League crown in a four-team race that included Roxbury and SK. The Mountaineers suffered three DL losses, but balance across the league helped Andes win enough games to reach in the league Crossover Championship for the first time in school history.

 By John Bernhardt
“Box scores lie,” former New Jersey Nets’ power forward Kenyan Martin growled at reporters when explaining the value of teammate Jason Kidd’s contribution to the Nets after Kidd recorded rather pedestrian statistics in a victory several years ago.  Martin’s claim could have described Margaretville guard Matt VanValkenburg when he was the only Blue Devils’ starter who failed to reach double figures as Margaretville upended Hunter-Tannersville, 66-60, last week. Box scores lie!
 

After relying heavily on stingy defensive play during two crucial Delaware League victories last week, baskets came fast and furious for Roxbury in Jefferson last week.  Roxbury scored 28 points in the first quarter on their way to a crushing, 73-30, defeat of the JayHawks.

The Rockets’ onslaught continued in the second period when Roxbury outscored their hosts 18-6, to build a 46-11 advantage by intermission. 

By John Bernhardt
Strong defensive pressure in the second half propelled Roxbury past Andes in a Delaware League girls’ contest played in Roxbury last week. Roxbury turned turnovers into offensive opportunity, using a 10-1 third quarter on their way to a 52-25 victory.
“The Roxbury girls did a nice job of capitalizing on our failure to protect the basketball,” lamented Andes coach Jeff Rhone.

By John Bernhardt
It was an unusual kind of girls’ basketball game in Tannersville last week.  Hunter-Tannersville downed Margaretville, 41-35, in a contest that proved far more competitive than their first encounter three days previously in the finals of the MCS Booster Club Tourney. 

The Wildcats enjoyed a huge advantage at the foul line, taking 20 foul shots during the game and making nine.  Margaretville wasn’t awarded a single foul shot in the contest.