SLIPPERY ROCK — They were overlooked and shunned.

No one gave them a chance.

But inside the locker room at Slippery Rock High School, girls basketball coach Amber Osborn and the returning players knew what they had.

And they knew everyone was wrong.

Even now, with 19 wins and another berth in the District 10 championship game, they still feel slighted.

They still hear the chatter: No team with three freshmen playing prominent roles, a starter who is coming off an ACL injury and another starter who played rarely last season, should win.

Freshman forward Hallie Raabe has taken particular umbrage with the lack of respect and made her thoughts known to Osborn before the District 10 5A semifinals Wednesday against Warren.

“She said she was so fired up,” Osborn said. “She said, 'I have steam coming out of my ears. I need a firehose to cool me down.'”

Raabe, who carries the apt nickname of “Red” because of her crimson hair and fiery play on the court, took out her frustrations on the Dragons in the semifinal with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

She's been a huge part of the reason why the Rockets are on the cusp of a district title.

Slippery Rock (19-4) plays Harbor Creek (20-4) at 4 p.m. Saturday at Meadville High School for the 5A championship.

“We started at the bottom of the totem pole and everyone thought we couldn't do it just because we're young,” Raabe said. “We've proved them wrong.”

Raabe was in the eighth grade and a team manager last season when Slippery Rock was upset by Central Tech in the district final.

Only one player on this year's Rocket team played a minute in that game: senior guard Macy McCall.

Junior swing player Emma McDermott missed most of last season with a torn ACL and senior center Jenna Heitzenrater was dressed but didn't see any action against the Falcons.

That's why there were so many question marks surrounding this team this season.

Except from those inside the program.

“We may be young and not as experienced in games like this, but here we are,” McDermott said.

The freshmen, led by Raabe and guards Anna Kadlubek and Maryann Ackerman, have played well beyond their years this season.

“They're old souls,” Osborn said.

McDermott knew right away that this group was special.

“The freshmen never cease to amaze me every day,” McDermott said. “I'm so proud of them because I know it's a lot of pressure to play in games like this. My freshman year, I didn't even touch the floor in a playoff game.

“They all have different talents they bring to the game and they, as a whole, have brought so many good things,” McDermott added.

The freshmen have meshed well with the older players.

Particularly with McCall and Heitzenrater.

McCall's role has expanded this season and Heitzenrater has been an unsung hero in the middle of it all for Slippery Rock.

“There's so much that Stretch does that doesn't show up in a box score,” Osborn said of Heitzenrater. “She battles and gets beat up every game, but she did that last year against Sedona (Campbell) in practice and she'll go toe-to-toe with anybody.”

McCall is a threat with her diverse skill set.

Like McDermott, she had a good feeling about the team's prospects long before anyone else outside the building did.

“Everyone was doubting us before the season and no one thought we were going to get back to the district title game because we lost so many seniors,” McCall said. “That just motivated us to give it our all and show everybody.”