AHOSKIE – It just wasn’t enough.

Hertford County High’s girls’ basketball team fought their way back from a 17-point hole against Northeastern Coastal Conference rival, First Flight, here Friday night but still came up short, 61-60.

The loss left the Lady Bears at 0-4 on the young season and 0-1 in conference play.

Kiara Rodgers led all scorers with 23 for Hertford County with teammate Vanessa Mitchell chipping in with 13.

Mary Kate Davidson led three Lady Nighthawk players in double figure scoring with 18.

Both teams came out firing away in the first quarter – a period that featured four ties before First Flight went on a 9-2 run to close out the frame and lead it 15-12 after one quarter of play.

The ‘Hawks hit their first three field goals of the second quarter to remain hot from the floor, but Rodgers scored six for Hertford County to get the Bears within three at 21-18.

After a Vanessa Mitchell lay-up made it a three-point game again, 23-20, First Flight outscored the Bears 12-0 for the remainder of the quarter and took a fifteen point lead, 35-20, into the locker room at halftime.

The Nighthawks added another bucket to open the third quarter and built their biggest lead one minute into the second half at 37-20. But then Bears coach Sha – Teisa Sharpe changed her strategy and attacked the ‘Hawks zone and it helped get HCHS back into the game.

Desiree James scored four points during an 11-4 Hertford County run and the home team had gotten the score down to ten, 41-31.  Another 11-4 run in the final three minutes of the quarter and it was a two-point game, 45-43, when the horn sounded ending the third.

The teams traded buckets in the opening minutes of the frame and when Vanessa Mitchell scored a put-back the Bears had their first lead since the first quarter, 49-47. Thanks to the play of Rodgers and Keshonda Roberson the Hertford County lead grew to eight, 59-51, with two minutes left.

But then Davidson stepped up and shouldered most of the scoring load for the Nighthawks. Her attacking style produced a free throw and a three-point play to get within five, 59-54. Then with 50 seconds left Ashonte Basnight scored down low for Hertford County and it looked like the Bears had a win, with a six-point lead. However, Davidson got one more basket in the low post, and Kiersten Murphy nailed two jump shots, the last one with 12 seconds left to give the Nighthawks a lead they would not give up.

Hertford County is on the road for their next game, Friday in ElizabethCity at Northeastern.