CLARION — Karns City girls basketball coach Dave Kerschbaumer was thinking about overtime.

And why wouldn't he?

Brookville trailed 36-34, but had its leading scorer, Paige Elkin, at the free throw line.

The senior guard had drawn a blocking foul from Karns City's Haley Callihan and went to the line with no time left on the clock and a chance to extend the game to an extra period.

"I thought she was going to make them both," said Kerschbaumer, in his second year as head coach of the Gremlins. "With a senior at the free throw line, it wasn't a good situation for us."

Elkin made the first attempt for her 17th point of the game.

However, her second attempt was too strong and bounced off the back of the rim, as Karns City's players and fans celebrated a 36-35 District 9 Class AA semifinal win at Clarion University's Tippin Gymnasium Thursday night.

The Gremlins (20-5) will face Curwensville, a 45-43 winner over Redbank Valley, in the district championship game at the same venue March 2.

Elkin had rebounded a missed free throw from KC's Tausha Bowser with eight seconds left before driving the length of the floor and drawing the foul.

If he had the chance to do it over again, Brookville coach Mark Powell would have kept the ball in Elkin's hands.

"She averaged 16 points per game this year and she's been our leading scorer the past two years," said Powell. "I'm sure she felt a lot of pressure at the free throw line."

"In all my years of playing and coaching basketball, I believe that's the only time I've seen a game decided at the free throw line with no time left," said Kerschbaumer. "It's weird. You have this helpless feeling."

Brookville trailed 36-31 with 22 seconds to play before Brynna Hetrick drained a 3-pointer to cut KC's lead to 36-34.

"Being up 36-31, we were pretty confident," Kerschbaumer said. "We just didn't want to give up a 3-pointer. And their kid just stepped back and buried it in our face."

After a first-quarter run by KC, the game was tight the rest of the way. The Gremlins led 15-14 at halftime and 24-23 entering the final period.

The Raiders' last lead came when Morgan Castle hit a basket with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter for a 25-24 lead.

A basket by Ashley Campbell gave Karns City the lead for good, handing the Gremlins a 30-28 edge with 4:10 to play.

The Raiders' offense struggled to score in the first period. Brookville (12-14) missed its first 11 field goal attempts, but Karns City managed only seven points by the time Elkin got the Raiders on the board.

KC held a modest 7-4 edge after eight minutes of play.

"We just missed a lot of shots early on," said Powell. "But our defense kept us in the game. We were right in it."

"We had an opportunity to blow it out in the first quarter," said Kerschbaumer. "But we let them hang around."

Campbell led KC with 12 points while Bowser added nine.

BROOKVILLE 35Carlie Cook 1 1-2 3, Paige Elkin 5 4-7 17, Morgan Castle 1 0-0 2, Janelle Mescall 1 0-0 2, Kate Reinsel 1 0-2 3, Brynna Hetrick 3 1-4 8, Jessica Byerly 0 0-0 0, Megan Ion 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 12 6-15 35.

KARNS CITY 36Tausha Bowser 4 1-3 9, Allyson Kepple 1 0-0 2, Ashley Campbell 5 2-2 12, Haley Callihan 3 0-1 8, Kylee Rankin 2 0-0 5, Kailyn Weibel 0 0-0 0, Julie Zaludek 0 0-0 0, Michelle Sweeney 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 15 3-6 36.

Brookville 4 10 9 12—35Karns City 7 8 9 12—363-point goals: Karns City 3 (Callihan 2, Rankin); Brookville 5 (Elkin 3, Reinsel, Hetrick)

March 2: Karns City vs. Curwensville, District 9 Class AA title game, 6 p.m. at Clarion University