The Ellwood City Lincoln High girls basketball team is on the verge of clinching a playoff berth.

But there’s still work to be done for the Lady Wolverines.

Karington Ketterer collected a team-high 19 points to lead Ellwood City to a 50-40 WPIAL Section 2-AAA home win over Hopewell.

The Lady Wolverines (4-7 section, 10-10 overall) climbed into a fourth-place tie with the Lady Vikings (4-7, 8-12) with the win.

The top four teams reach the playoffs and the squads split the series in the regular season. Ellwood City travels to New Castle (1-10, 3-17) and Hopewell hosts Central Valley to close out section action. Both games are Thursday night.

If Hopewell and Ellwood City finish tied, both teams advance to the WPIAL playoffs.

“We’re right where we wanted to be,” Lady Wolverines coach Jolene Servick said. “We told the girls we needed this game; this was a big one.

“I know New Castle will be ready to play. We knocked them out last year and they have the chance to do that to us this year.”

Ellwood City built a 15-9 lead after one quarter and settled for a 28-23 margin at the break.

“We came out ready to play and that was important,” Servick said.

Ketterer notched eight rebounds as well for the winners. Bailey McKinney was next with nine points, nine boards, four assists and four blocks.

“Karington was huge for us,” Servick said. “McKinney has really been stepping up for us, too. She’s a true leader, calm and collected.”

Jocelyn Guy garnered seven markers and four steals for Ellwood City.

Amber Falletta tossed in a game-best 21 points for the Lady Vikings.

Ellwood City is gunning for the program’s first playoff berth since the 1997-98 season. The Lady Wolverines finished 10-4 that season in Section 2-AAA action and 14-9 overall.

Ellwood City was eliminated from the postseason that year in the first round by Pine-Richland, 80-45. The Lady Rams reached the district championship game before falling to South Park, 61-45.