WEXFORD — Seneca Valley delivered a scare.

Bethel Park coach Jonna Burke wasn't surprised.

“I thought about that all day before this game,” Burke said of the Black Hawks' 51-45 WPIAL Class 6A girls basketball tournament win Friday night at North Allegheny.

“I saw how tough they played Norwin and North Allegheny. I knew they were capable of playing a close game against us and they did that.”

While the Black Hawks (20-3) won for the 13th time in 14 games, it was never easy.

Bethel's biggest lead all night was seven points. And when McKenna Gross drained a trey following a Black Hawk turnover, the Raiders (15-8) were within 43-41 with 1:16 to play.

“We got the ball back again and if we had scored on that possession, I thought we had a chance to win the game,” SV coach Todd Schoeffel said.

Instead, Seneca Valley turned the ball over, Bethel's Olivia Westphal drained two free throws with 39 seconds left for a 49-45 lead and the Black Hawks held on from there.

“We made our free throws and scored a couple of baskets on breakouts,” Burke said. “That was the difference. We got lucky tonight.

“We were lucky to get out of here with a win. Seneca Valley had a great game-plan. They were able to slow us down.”

The game was tied at 18 at halftime. The Raiders' last lead was at 21-18 with 7:38 left in the third quarter as Gross sank three free throws.

But the game never got away from them.

“I'm extremely proud of these girls tonight,” Schoeffel said. “They showed a lot of fight, a lot of will to compete.

“I'm proud to be their coach.”

The Black Hawks' last seven-point lead was at 40-33 with 4:25 left in the game. An 8-3 run — capped by Gross' aforementioned trey — cut it to two.

Gross led all players in the game with 26 points. She added three steals as well.

Bethel Park allows an average of just 39 points per game.

“It's not like we didn't know she was good coming into this game,” Burke said of Gross. “But we never had an answer for her.

“That was a senior who played like she didn't want it to end. I have a lot of respect for that.”

Schoeffel agreed.

“McKenna loves the game of basketball and she knew if we lost tonight, it would be a long while before she could play again,” he said.

“She really wanted to win this game.”

Madelyn Karchut had six points and five rebounds for the Raiders before fouling out with 1:46 to play. Gretchen Koken had eight rebounds.

Westphal paced Bethel with 18 points and three steals. Madelyn Dziezgowski had 16 points and five rebounds.

Senior point guard Maria Cerro had eight points and six assists for the Black Hawks despite playing in foul trouble. She missed a chunk of the first half after picking up two early fouls.

“They may have missed her on offense, but whoever they brought in, that defense was still going to be there,” Schoeffel said. “We still couldn't build a lead.”

Cerro picked up her fourth foul with 3:42 remaining, but Burke kept her in the game until the final buzzer.

“The score was close and they (Raiders) were pressing more full-court ... Maria is our best ball handler and she runs or sets,” Burke said.

“We needed her on the floor. She's a senior and she played smart.”

Bethel Park sank 18 of 21 free throws on the night, 11 of 14 in the final quarter. Seneca Valley hit 16 of 22.

“We're probably around 70 percent at the line as a team. We needed them tonight,” Burke said.

Gross, Koken and Olivia Neuman are the three seniors Seneca Valley will lose.

“We'll miss them, but we've got a good nucleus coming back,” Schoeffel said.

SENECA VALLEY 45

Gretchen Koken 1-7 2-2 4, Haley Cramer 1-5 2-2 4, Jess Bickart 1-3 2-4 5, Madelyn Karchut 2-4 2-4 6, McKenna Gross 8-16 8-10 26, Olivia West 0-1 0-0 0, Jaden Davensizer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 13-36 16-22 45.

BETHEL PARK 51

Maria Cerro 3-5 2-3 8, Emma Dziezgowski 3-9 0-0 6, Madelyn Dziezgowski 5-9 6-6 16, Olivia Westphal 3-15 10-12 18, Juliana Carbone 1-4 0-0 3, Lauren Mullen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-42 18-21 51.

Seneca Valley 5 13 11 16 — 45

Bethel Park5 13 14 19 — 51

3-point goals: Bickart, Gross 2; Westphal 2, Carbone