The loss drops the Redskins’ record to 8-7 overall, and they will have had a week to regroup before hosting Canastota tonight at 7:30 p.m. Canastota won the teams’ first meeting by three points.

``We’ve been falling into the habit of starting games slowly and we have to have more urgency,’’ said CCS basketball coach Dave Bertram. ``We need to come out fast against Canastota on Thursday and play with the attitude we’re going to win the game.’’

On Thursday against S-E, Cooperstown fell behind 35-7 with a minute remaining before halftime, but Jimmy Jennings, Chris Gentile and Zack Sittler hit three-point shots on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to 35-16.

The Marauders broke Cooperstown’s press for an easy lay-up just before the halftime buzzer for a 37-16 halftime score.

To their credit, the Redskins kept battling in the second half, cutting the lead down to 11 with four and a half minutes remaining before losing by the 17-point margin.

``The game was kind of over at the half, but we did keep fighting,’’ Bertram said. ``It seemed like we didn’t have any intensity to start the game.’’

CCS’s schedule is not easy down the stretch, as after the Canastota game tonight, they play at state-ranked Class C power West Canada Valley Monday and at undefeated Class D power New York Mills on Thursday before the regular season finale at home against Waterville on Monday, Feb. 5. The senior basketball players and cheerleaders will be recognized prior to the game along with their parents.

``Depending on how we end the season, our first sectional game could be on the road so we’ve got to learn to start games with more urgency,’’ Bertram said.