Dorothea Epps wasn't the first high school basketball coach to win 100 games.

But she is one of the more impressive ones to accomplish the feat.

The Butler girls coach picked up her 100th win Thursday night at Seneca Valley.

Epps reached that total in only her sixth season. She's lost just 45 games, giving her a career winning rate of better than 66 percent.

Thursday's win over the Raiders was the Golden Tornado's 12th in a row, completed a perfect 12-0 run through the section and gives Butler a 43-5 record over the past two seasons.

Butler is averaging 61.5 points per game, the most by any WPIALQuad-Agirls team. The Tornado allow just 39.5 points per game. Only Mount Lebanon, Bethel Park and Fox Chapel are allowing fewer.

All of those facts point to Epps' effectiveness as head coach of this program.

When she took the reins from Jonna Burke, Epps' goal simply was to maintain the high level of play that Burke built here.

In truth, she's elevated it.

Butler is entering the WPIALplayoffs this week as a legitimate threat to win the tournament.

Mount Lebanon is unbeaten and is a virtual lock for the No. 1 seed. Butler will be the No. 2 seed if it gets past New Castle this weekend.

A loss to the Red Hurricanes, which is possible because they're one of the top teams in Class AAA, probably would cost the Tornado that second seed.

That's OK. Epps would take the trade-off for the competition.

During her team's 66-40 victory over Moon Monday night, Epps was disappointed in the effort of her team on defense.

A 26-point win and the coach is complaining?

Hey, why not?Epps sees her team's potential and she knows the focus must be there for 32 minutes.

Defense remains Butler's bread and butter. That's one thing Epps inherited from Burke and has successfully maintained.

Since taking over as head coach, Epps completed the development of Amy Achesinski, a 1,500-point scorer and now a standout at Mercyhurst College. She overcame the loss of two point guards to season-ending injuries two years ago, forcing Olivia Bresnahan to start at that position as a freshman.

Two years later, Bresnahan has blossomed into one of the top players in the WPIAL.

Epps' only losing season was a 10-14 campaign her second year, when she lost her best player, Kelly Miller, to a knee injury midway through the campaign.

Since that year, the Tornado have won 76 of 96 games.

As strong as this year's team is, next year's could match it. Jenna Manuel and Rachel Doutt are the lone seniors on Butler's squad and will be missed.

But more quality players are coming through the system behind them.

Some 100th wins are more significant than others.

In the case of Dorothea Epps, her 100th win speaks volumes for where Butler's program is and where it's going.