Sports

Staff report
“Can the Blue Devils play man-to-man defense as well as the Patriots?” was the question Margaretville coach John Bernhardt wrote in his notes as he scouted Downsville and Cherry Valley in the consolation game of Delhi’s Thanksgiving Tournament.

By John Bernhardt
It might not rank with the United States Hockey team’s Miracle on Ice or Villanova’s NCAA Championship basketball upset over Georgetown of long ago, but Friday night’s Margaretville girls’ basketball team’s, 60-55, upset over previously undefeated Davenport was pretty special.

Staff report
Never underestimate the value of a layup. The Margaretville Blue Devil boys’ basketball team learned how important basketball’s most basic shot can be when they fell, 58-35, to first place Davenport last week. The Wildcats outscored their hosts, 20-7, during a critical third period to nail down the victory.

The College of Saint Rose Women’s Soccer team, coached by Roxbury native Laurie Darling Gutheil, won the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship game on December 3 in Pensacola, Florida.
The win was the first team national championship of any kind in the Saint Rose College’s history. The College of Saint Rose is located in Albany.

Staff report
Margaretville’s boys’ basketball team found an outside game to compliment Mitch Hull’s play around the basket and the Blue Devils won for the first time Saturday besting Roscoe, 60-41, in the consolation game of the Booster Club Boys’ Varsity Tournament.

Jon Fairbairn, Marshall Bouton and Matt VanValkenburg all registered double-digit scoring outputs to go with Hull’s game high 18-point effort.

By John Bernhardt
The 2011 Margaretville Booster Club Girls’ Varsity Basketball Tournament had everything a basketball fan could want and more. The tournament was packed with excitement, each game decided in the final seconds of play.

Close and competitive with sudden momentum shifts, the basketball action was emotion-packed and the host team emerged as the champion with a thrilling comeback, 42-40 victory over Gilboa on Saturday.

It was addition by subtraction last Thursday as the Gilboa and Margaretville boys’ basketball teams squared off in its season opener in Margaretville.

Foul troubles plagued the top scorers of both teams throughout the contest with Gilboa’s Tyler Latta and Margaretville’s Mitch Hull spending large chunks of time on the bench with fouls. With each departure came an offensive surge for the opposing team giving the game a see-saw like personality. Latta outlasted Hull, and the Wildcats outlasted the Blue Devils, 44-41, by scoring the final nine points of the game.

It was almost like the world moved in slow motion for the Margaretville girls’ basketball team during the first 10 minutes of last week’s Delaware League contest in Gilboa. The Blue Devils struggled to get their game untracked, were badly beaten off the backboards and couldn’t get a shot to drop.

Using an 11-0 rebounding advantage, Gilboa ran off the first 14 points of the contest.
Once they broke the ice, the Blue Devils were off and running. Margaretville went on a 10-2 spurt chopping away a huge chunk of Gilboa’s lead by the half.

By John Bernhardt
Delaware County boys’ basketball dynasty, the South Kortright Rams, show no signs of slowing down. The Rams dominated their own Thanksgiving Tournament last weekend leaving little doubt about who is the team to catch in the upcoming Delaware League season.

Staff report
TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More might be the battle cry of the Roxbury boys’ basketball team this winter. Only eight players strong, Roxbury hopes that teamwork is the fuel that powers the engine. One thing for sure, everyone has a role to play and something to contribute.