Epps

SHALER TWP — For one quarter, Butler showed signs of what it can become.

Shaler, however, showed what it has become.

The Golden Tornado held a two-point lead entering the second quarter, but a 19-2 run helped to send the Titans to a 66-44 Section 3-AAAA girls basketball victory Monday.

“We were right with them in the first quarter, then we turned the ball over in the second quarter,” Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. “I didn't care what the outcome would be. I just wanted us to play with that intensity.”

Shaler's Hilary Sauer opened the second quarter with a three-point play, then Val McQuade followed with a score to build a 19-12 lead.

After Butler's Jasmine Bailey scored to make it 19-14, the Titans (14-2, 7-1) reeled off the next 14 points to take a commanding 33-14 lead with 54 seconds left before halftime.

McQuade sparked the surge, scoring seven consecutive points at one stretch — two steals and scores, then a three-point play — and Shannon Powell added five points.

Butler (3-12, 1-7) got as close as 15 points four times, the last at 39-24 with 5:27 left in the third quarter, but the second quarter was just too much to overcome.

“Those turnovers gave them points,” Epps noted. “Until we stop the turnovers, that will be a problem. We had 24 turnovers and (Shaler) got points on at least half of that.”

With Shaler holding a 17-point lead after three quarters, the Titans opened the fourth frame on a 10-0 run, but Butler countered with an 11-1 run — highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers by Emily Eyth off the bench.

“If we didn't have the turnovers, we'd have scored more,” Epps said. “There's a glimmer of hope. We didn't play bad and we did some good things offensively.”

Caitlin Baxter led Butler with 15 points and Bailey had 12 while Shannon Powell (16), McQuade (14) and Ashley Domachowski (10) paced the Titans.

BUTLER 44Mackenzie O'Donnell 1 0-0 2, Sam Marak 0 0-0 0, Jasmine Bailey 6 0-0 12, Shelby Johnston 3 0-0 6, Caitlin Baxter 4 7-8 15, Natalie Barkus 1 0-0 2, Morgan Mclaughlin 0 0-0 0, Emily Eyth 2 0-0 6, Ali Houk 0 1-2 1, Lauren Bresnahan 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 17 8-10 44.

SHALER 66Hilary Sauer 1 5-7 7, Ashley Domachowski 5 0-0 10, Val McQuade 6 1-1 14, Haley Sauer 2 0-0 5, Shannon Powell 6 4-6 16, Alia Bradford 0 0-0 0, Paige Quinn 0 0-0 0, Courtney Bauer 0 0-0 0, Marissa Bens 0 0-0 0, Kate Potter 2 1-2 7, C.J. Harris 1 0-4 2, Kelly Barry 0 0-0 0, Abby Conrad 2 0-2 5, Gwen Pollucci 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 25 11-22 66.

Butler 12 4 15 13—44Shaler 14 19 15 18—663-point goals: Butler 2 (Eyth 2); Shaler 5 (Potter 2, McQuade, Ha. Sauer, Conrad).

JV: Shaler, 40-31

Thursday: Pine-Richland at Butler