It didn’t take the 2009 Verbena boys basketball team long to win the program’s first game since the 2006 season.

The Red Devils on Monday won their first game of the year, 51-37 over Isabella.

Coach Jonathan Shedd said the celebration was subdued because of a skirmish between players that occurred as the clock ran out, but the win is still monumental.

“There was a point in the game where I looked at the scoreboard and then almost asked the scorekeeper, ‘Is that right?’” said Shedd, who is in his second season as coach. “Last year, it was always the other way.”

Shedd said he thinks the performance was mostly the result of the hard work the team put in over the summer, when the Devils played 17 practice games.

“We got better in the summer,” said Jason Ray, one of the team’s seniors. “The work paid off.”

Ray was second on the team in scoring on Monday with nine points. Brandon White was the leader with 17 points.

Austin Anderson led Isabella with 12 points.

But Shedd said there is still much room for improvement. Verbena made only two of 21 3-point attempts and seven of 23 free throw attempts.

“If we make more shots, who knows what we can do,” Shedd said.