LIBERTY – Grit, tenacity, and hustle defined Thursday night’s heated crosstown rivalry, as the Fallsburg Comets edged the Liberty Redhawks in a physical, hard-fought matchup that lived up to its long-standing reputation.

The gym buzzed with anticipation as both teams took the floor, each determined to claim bragging rights in the Fallsburg–Liberty rivalry. Coming into the game, Fallsburg stood at 1–4 overall and 1–0 in conference play, while Liberty entered, still searching for its first victory of the season.

From the opening tip, Fallsburg controlled the tempo. Comets’ point guard Paola Deras showcased her speed, agility, and athleticism early, pushing the pace against a flat-footed Redhawk’s defense. However, she quickly ran into foul trouble and was forced to the bench, prompting early substitutions.

Liberty was unable to capitalize on her absence, struggling to find an offensive rhythm. Fallsburg’s Layla Hermann and Marilyn Santos anchored the Comets with scrappy defense, shot blocking, and strong rebounding, helping maintain a narrow lead that stretched from the opening quarter through the final buzzer.

Joslyn Smith led Fallsburg with 11 points, matching Liberty’s Giselle Payton, who also finished with 11 to pace the Redhawks. While the scoring was modest, each possession reflected the effort and athleticism of both squads, with defense and hustle taking center stage.

Liberty’s Adriana Ponce applied relentless defensive pressure, Elizabeth Cruz used her speed and agility to weave through defenders, McHinzie Paterson played with fierce competitiveness, and senior Arianna Wilson showed heart and flashes of versatility as a multi-sport athlete. Despite their effort, the Redhawks struggled to finish consistently around the basket.

Liberty mounted a late surge in the final minutes. With under three minutes remaining, Payton sparked the comeback with a steal that led to a coast-to-coast layup, followed shortly by a clutch three-pointer that brought the Redhawks within striking distance and ignited the home crowd. But Fallsburg answered with timely defensive plays. In the final minute, Santos knocked the ball loose to force a turnover, and the Comets’ pressure defense sealed the game, forcing Liberty into a timeout with seconds remaining.

Fallsburg proved more disciplined down the stretch, capitalizing on turnovers, foul shots, and loose-ball battles to secure the 28–22 victory.

Fallsburg head coach Ballard praised his team’s defensive effort after the game.

“The first half was great until my guards got into foul trouble,” Ballard said. “I had to sit them and rely on some inexperienced bench players to hold it down until the fourth quarter. Defensively, though, we were strong—especially in the zone. I’m still looking for a consistent leading scorer, but maybe after tonight, Joslyn Smith becomes that player.”

Smith echoed the intensity of the matchup.

“This was a really tough game because of the rivalry,” she said. “Credit to Liberty—they put in the work. But I’m proud of my team. We’re mostly sophomores, and going forward, our mindset is that every team is our rival.”

Fallsburg will look to carry this momentum into its next matchup, while Liberty—despite battling until the final horn—continues its search for a breakthrough win.