Sidney girls battle in All-Star tilt

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – After playing on the same side since they were kids, it was a strange sensation for twin sisters Ashley and Maddie Stafford and teammate Savanna Rosenbaum to suddenly be thrust into a position of opposition.

Though Ashley took some bragging rights home from WNCC’s Cougar Palace after her Red team toppled the Blue 62-54, it’s a game built more around fun than serious competition. But for a group of recently graduated high school athletes, there’s always a little competitiveness bubbling beneath the surface no matter the stakes.

“It was so weird,” Ashley said. “We’re both so competitive but we’ve always been competitive on the same side before. I didn’t even know I was going to guard her until the game started, but it was really fun.”

For Maddie, trying to get the best of her sister was a little more complicated than battling others.

“It was really different. We know each others’ moves by heart. We just beat each other up,” she said. “Her coach said we might play against each other, but we thought he was joking.”

As for Rosenbaum, she wasn’t playing a neutral part in the family feud. She clearly sided with Maddie as her teammate on the Blue team.

“I tried to mess with (Ashley) a little in the game trying to make her smile,” Rosenbaum said. “But she was being all serious, which I guess is good for them since they beat us. They even beat us at pool last night. Maybe we’ll just have to beat her up when we get home.”

For the locals, the most enjoyable Sidney Red Raiders moments came during a roughly a 60-second period during the first half. During that minute, Sidney players scored seven straight points. Ashley first dented the scoreboard when she sank a layup while being fouled. She then sank the ensuing free throw to complete the three-point play. Ashley’s effort gave the Red squad a short lived two-point lead.

Rosenbaum and Maddie Stafford were quick to respond, however. Maddie followed her sister with a basket of her own. Rosenbaum was next to bend the twine when she nailed a baseline jumper.

For the record, Ashley scored five points, Rosenbaum four and Maddie two.