It was, as Jason Rankin referred to it, "a great game."

And one that the first-year Shenango High girls basketball coach willingly takes the responsibility for losing.

The Wildcats won the battle by holding Burrell's high-scoring Natalie Myers to just eight points Wednesday night, but lost the war in a 48-47 loss to the Lady Buccaneers in the opening round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High.

The 5-foot-11 Myers, a Youngstown State University recruit, came into the game as the WPIAL's sixth-leading scorer at 22.5 points per game. She was held to two markers until making Burrell's last six points of the game.

"We used a box-and-one on Myers and I thought it was a good game plan going in — but looking back, maybe we stayed in it too long," Rankin said. "That's one of the issues of putting in something that we haven't practiced all year, there are going to be holes and they made us pay by finding the holes.

"But I couldn't be prouder of the way we played. Those kids gave their all out there tonight, and then some."

The player who found the holes was Eliza Oswalt, who scorched the Lady Wildcats for 25 points, including five 3-pointers.

"She made the shots," Rankin said. "She took advantage of the opportunity."

Burrell (19-4) came into the game as the WPIAL's top Class AA girls team according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Shenango (14-10) which led 24-18 at the half, got into an offensive rut from the middle of the third to the middle of the fourth quarters.

Myers hit a pair of free throws to put the Lady Bucs up 48-44 with 43 seconds left. The Lady Wildcats missed at the other end, then fouled Oswalt, who missed the front end of a one-and-one. Angelina Sibeto made a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to pull Shenango to within a point. The Lady Wildcats, out of timeouts, fouled Myers, who missed another one-and-one. Sibeto got the rebound and drove the lane, passing to Jacqui Baker, who missed a layup at the buzzer.

"The ball spun around the rim and dropped off," Rankin said. "I really thought it was in.

"I felt horrible for Jacqui, she really came a long way for us and was a big reason that we won five of our last six games. She had 11 rebounds for us and really played a great game."

Samantha Seaburn led Shenango with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Sibeto added 13 points, six assists and four steals.

Rankin loses Seaburn, Sibeto, Carolyn Peterson and Emma Rich to graduation.

"We will miss them," he said. "I thought we had a good year considering that we came in and completely changed the style of play.

"You can't help but wonder about the what-ifs, but we really did have a good year as a team and I had a great year personally," he added. "I absolutely loved the kids the moment I became their coach. We just connected. We had a ton of fun. I wish I could have coached them a little bit longer, but we'll be back, Jacqui will be our anchor next year and we have five freshmen on the team, so I think our future is bright."