Butler girls basketball faces must-win game now for WPIAL playoffs after Pine-Richland blowout loss
BUTLER TWP — Not even a flawless approach could’ve beaten Pine-Richland on Monday night.
The visiting Rams owned a sizable lead by halftime of a WPIAL Section 1-6A matchup against Butler — and held the Golden Tornado without a make inside the arc during the same span — on the way to a 54-26 win.
“I don’t even know if I could’ve dialed up the perfect game plan if that would’ve beat them,” Butler coach Mark Maier said. “Or if our girls played perfect, because they played really well. ... We were in a 2-3 zone and it looked like it was college versus seventh grade, just size-wise.”
Butler can still lock up a WPIAL Class 6A playoff berth with a win at North Allegheny on Thursday night.
“You use it as a learning experience,” Maier said. “We signed up for this, to play important games, and the fact that we have kind of a win-and-you’re-in game on Thursday, it makes it exciting.”
“Definitely a learning experience,” said junior Eva Stutz, who tied for Butler’s lead with 12 points. “It revealed some stuff that we need to work on, and it showed stuff that we did good, as well. ... There’s definitely room for improvement.”
Freshman Jordan Ryan added another dozen points, exclusively sinking 3-pointers. Junior Kaitlyn Dick finally notched the first layup make for Butler (10-10, 3-6 WPIAL Section 1-6A) with 4:37 remaining in the third frame. The Rams got the running clock going just over two minutes later, going up 50-19.
Rebekah Shaffer and Cate Gentile — both 6-foot-1 — each poured in a game-high 17 points for Pine-Richland (14-7, 8-1 WPIAL Section 1-6A), which led 16-6 after one quarter and only piled onto its advantage from there.
“They definitely have some height against us,” Stutz said. “I think we just weren’t doing what we were supposed to as a team. And I think we were kinda just staying outside on the 3-line.”
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Butler’s Eva Stutz, right, congratulates Pine-Richland’s Josie Christy after Pine-Richland defeated Butler 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Eva Stutz (10) shoots the ball against Pine-Richland in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Emily Hoffer (23) shoots over Pine-Richland’s Mia LeDonne (5) in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Payton Kamerer (13) dribbles the around past Pine Richland’s Mia LeDonne (5) in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Eva Stutz (10) dribbles past Pine Richland’s Maddie Meabon (2) in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Jordan Ryan (43) passes the ball in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Jordan Ryan (43) passes the ball in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Payton Kamerer (13) dribbles around Pine-Richland’s Mia LeDonne (5) ball in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Emily Hoffer (23) dribbles around Pine Richland’s Cate Gentile (24) in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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Butler’s Eva Stutz (10) dribbles around Pine Richland’s Mia LeDonne (5) in a girls basketball game against Pine-Richland Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
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The Butler girls basketball team fell to Pine-Richland 54-26 in a girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at Butler High School. Photog/Butler Eagle
