The Shenango High girls basketball team's playoff hopes took a hit Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Wildcats turned the ball over 28 times in a 43-37 WPIAL Section 1-2A road loss to Washington.

Shenango (6-7 section, 8-12 overall) was just 8 of 15 from the free-throw line.

"The turnovers was the difference in the game and the free throws, too," Lady Wildcats coach Jason Rankin said. "You don't want to back into the playoffs, but we still have life.
"It was a hard-fought game. Washington was facing elimination."

Shenango and Washington both sit in fourth place in the league standings. The teams split the regular-season series. The Lady Wildcats and Lady Little Prexies close section play on Thursday. Shenango hosts Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (10-2, 15-5) and Washington visits Burgettstown (7-5, 14-6).

If Shenango and Washington finish tied in the section standings each squad will reach the playoffs. A win by one school and a loss by the other vaults the winning squad into the postseason.

"Washington was a tough matchup, very small and very quick," Rankin said. "This goes back to the turnovers. You have to give yourself a chance to score. If we cut the turnnovers in half, that's 14 more possessions. It's at least 14 more chances to score.

"It's behind us now and we have to learn from it. We still have one more shot to get in."

Jacqui Baker paced the Lady Wildcats with 19 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Madison Harden tossed in 10 tallies. Addie George garnered six assists and three steals to go with her five markers.

Shenango was 13 of 38 from the field, compared to 13 of 52 for the Lady Little Prexies.

Torri Finley notched 18 points to lead Washington.