Lady Raider Amber Poole tries to escape Hobbton defender Michaela Wilson in a game at Midway Tuesday. (Danny McDowell/Sampson Independent)

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Lady Wildcat Sasha Martin challenges Midway's Hannah Hubbard Tuesday night. Martin scored 23 in the Hobbton win. (Danny McDowell/Sampson Independent)

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The Midway Lady Raiders were on the verge of pulling off an upset Tuesday versus the visiting Hobbton Lady Wildcats. However, a Hobbton surge in the final period, led by Sasha Martin, gave Hobbton a victory over Midway for the seventh consecutive time.

The Lady Raiders led 10-6 after a quarter and 18-13 at intermission. In the third period, the Lady Wildcats cut the deficit to 1 point at the 3:45 mark. Coach Jennifer Honeycutt took a timeout and the home team went on a 6-1 run to post a 28-22 lead at the end of the quarter.

In the final frame, Midway went up 32-23 with 7:14 left. Hobbton began to cut into the lead, but Jada Cannady delivered for Midway with 3:20 left to put the Lady Raiders up 40-32. Moments later, following a Hobbton free throw, Taylor Bowden hit a basket to make it 40-35.

With 1:23 left, and Hobbton now down by only 3, the Wildcats took a timeout to set up what would prove to be the biggest shot of the game. Following the timeout, Martin nailed a 3-pointer to tie the score at 40. Following free throws on each side, Midway had possession with 9.2 seconds left and trailing 42-41. A turnover gave Hobbton the ball and Martin hit 2 more free throws for a 44-41 victory.

For the Lady Wildcats, Martin finished with 23 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter. Michaela Wilson posted 15. Taylor Bowden added 3, Benady Cerda scored 2, and Hannah Warren had 1. Martin and Wilson also had 5 steals each, while Wilson dished out 7 assists. Casey Hobbs had 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks.

Jennifer Blackmon led the Lady Raiders with 14 points. Amber Poole and Elizabeth McCullen dropped in 6 a piece. Cannady added 5, while Tess Williams scored 4. Kaitlyn Jackson and Hannah Hubbard had 3 each.

The Lady Wildcats are 9-7 overall and 4-3 in the Tri-County Conference. Midway is 4-12 overall and 3-4 in conference play.

“The rivalry between Midway and Hobbton is still intense,” asserted Hobbton coach Alfonza Hooper. “Each year it gets harder and harder. Coach Honeycutt had them well prepared. My hat’s off to Sasha Martin. What a shot!”

“We didn’t execute at the end,” remarked Midway coach Jennifer Honeycutt, “but I would like to commend Elizabeth McCullen on the job she did.”

Midway will host Trask on Friday while Hobbton entertains Pender.