FOX CHAPEL — The start couldn't have been much worse.

Less than three minutes into its WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball playoff game Saturday against Elizabeth Forward, Freeport trailed 8-0 and had committed four turnovers.

“We were nervous and we were showing it,” freshman Samantha Clark admitted.

But enough was enough.

“We decided we're not blowing this,” junior forward Jenna Manke said of a timeout with 5:37 left in the opening quarter. “We were the higher seed. It was time for us to go play basketball like we know we can play.

“Freeport had not won a playoff game since 2004. We weren't letting this one get away.”

The seventh-seeded Yellowjackets (14-9) battled back for a 56-50 overtime victory at Fox Chapel High School.

Freeport never led until Kim Mixon — the lone senior on the squad — hit a jumper for a 34-32 advantage with six minutes left in regulation. The teams traded the lead four times in the next two minutes.

Clark's trey with 4:10 left gave the Yellowjackets a 39-38 lead. Three free throws — two by Sidney Shemanski and one by Manke — gave Freeport a 42-40 edge with 26.3 seconds left.

Junior guard Alexis Korenoski tied the game at 42 with a pair of free throws with 9.2 seconds on the clock. Freeport did not get off a serious shot after that, heaving up a desperate attempt from beyond midcourt, and overtime ensued.

“I had no doubt Alexis would hit those free throws,” Elizabeth Forward coach Krystal Gibbs said. “I didn't even look. I went right to work on our defending them in the final seconds to keep the game tied.”

But in overtime, Freeport was not to be denied.

Manke drove to the hoop for a layup with 2:44 left in the extra session, giving the Yellowjackets the lead for good at 45-44. Mixon drained a trey to up the count to 48-44.

Clark made sure the lead stood up, sinking five of six free throws down the stretch.

“We worked together and got it done,” Clark said. “I know I can make free throws. Just relax and put them in.”

Clark is one of three freshmen in Freeport's starting lineup.

“We don't consider them freshmen,” Manke said. “They are players on our team. If you can keep up, you're gonna be in ... and they can keep up.”

“The girls hung in there. I'm so proud of them, Freeport coach Fred Soilis said. “They never stopped working.

“They believe in each other. We were getting good looks inside and outside early. They just weren't going in. Eventually, they did.”

And Manke led the way. She scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had five steals. Mixon had 12 points, five rebounds and three steals, Clark 11 points.

“When I saw I was able to get to the basket, I had to keep driving in there,” Manke said. “Either lay the ball in or get fouled.”

Freeport sank 17 of 27 free throws as a team. The Warriors (12-11) sank five of six.

“We couldn't defend No. 42 (Manke). I'm not sure why. She just killed us,” Gibbs said.

Elizabeth Forward had 23 turnovers in the contest.

“We were jittery and pressure usually does bother us,” Gibbs said. “Just too many mistakes. None of our girls had played in a playoff game before today.

“All due respect to Freeport — they are very good — I feel like we were the better team. We gave the ball away too much and didn't play aggressively enough.”

Brianna Spirnak paced the Warriors with 19 points, sinking five treys. She had 12 rebounds as well. Sierra Dawson scored all eight of her team's points in that 8-0 start and finished with 15 points and seven boards.

Korenoski had eight points, six assists and five rebounds for E-F, which held a 41-33 edge in rebounding.

“That's a good team,” Soilis said. “Spirnak shot the ball extremely well. They were all we could handle.

“Our pressure defense got to them. It turned the game for us.”

Freeport now plays Blackhawk, which received a bye, Thursday night at a site and time to be determined.

“We'll prepare and give it our best shot,” Soils said. “These girls don't want their season to end.”

ELIZABETH FORWARD 50

Julia Jenkins 2-6 0-0 6, Alexis Korenoski 2-4 4-4 8, Brianna Spirnak 7-21 0-0 19, Juria Flournoy 0-7 0-0 0, Sierra Dawson 7-14 1-2 15, Haylee Briggs 0-0 0-0 0, Brianna Milkus 1-6 0-0 2, Kayla McManus 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 19-58 5-6 50.

FREEPORT 56

Kim Mixon 5-14 0-2 12, Samantha Clark 2-6 5-6 11, Madeline Clark 1-8 2-2 5, Sidney Shemanski 2-7 3-5 7, Jenna Manke 7-15 7-12 21, Asti Brestensky 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Sullivan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-50 17-27 56.

Eliz. Forward 12 10 10 10 8 — 50

Freeport6 10 14 12 12 —56

3-point goals: Jenkins 2, Spirnak 5; Mixomn 2, S.Clark 2, M.Clark

Thursday: Freeport vs. Blackhawk, site and time TBA