JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley girls basketball team almost welcomed the new year with its first victory of the season.

The Raiders (0-7, 0-2) led North Hills 38-35 entering the final quarter Monday night, and when Alex Karika got a shot to fall with 1:15 left in the game, the score was tied at 52.

From there, North Hills' Katy Turzak hit a bucket before the Indians turned a SV turnover into a free throw by Emma Wingerd.

The Raiders' Alyssa Miller had a chance to tie the game, but her 3-point attempt fell off the rim and Wingerd hit two more free throws with 11 seconds left to ice a 57-52 victory.

Wingerd (17 points) and Turzak (16), both forwards, combined for 33 points.

"We talked about it before the game. We needed big games from both of them," said North Hills coach Tom Sandherr. "We've come to expect that from those two."

The Indians forced seven turnovers in the fourth period.

"We went to a 2-2-1 zone in the fourth quarter," said Sandherr. "We were going to stick with that the entire quarter if that's what it took — even if we had to use 11 players."

A pivotal stat was rebounding. The Raiders held a 33-11 edge after three quarters, but the Indians (4-5, 2-1) won the glass 9-3 in the final eight minutes.

"We are a very weak rebounding team," said Sandherr. "It's been our Achilles heel this season, but (Turzak) rebounded much better in the fourth quarter.

"Between Wingerd and Turzak, we knew they would eventually get theirs," said SV coach Rob Lombardo.

Through their first six games, the Raiders averaged 41 points per game, so Lombardo was pleased with the increased output.

Miller, Amanda Geiger and Karika scored clutch baskets to keep things interesting in the fourth quarter.

Karika scored a team-high 17 points, including 11 in the second half, and Karlei Fronzaglio added a trio of 3-pointers.

"Every team wants that one player who they can go to for the big baskets, but there are plays we run in which each of the five girls on the floor are capable of scoring for us," said Lombardo.

Eleven players saw action for Seneca Valley and Lombardo subbed in five players at a time.

"It's something new we tried tonight," he said. "Our skill level is so widespread that we want to tire our opponents out."

NORTH HILLS 57Jessica Rectenwald 1 0-0 3, Ali Patton 3 3-4 9, Julia Klein 1 1-1 3, Emma Wingerd 7 3-4 17, Katy Turzak 8 0-3 16, Megan Hans 1 2-2 5, Emily Jammison 2 0-1 4, Kayla Ebbert 0 0-0 0, Carly Herr 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 23 9-15 57.

SENECA VALLEY 52Julia Vandrak 1 0-0 3, Karlei Fronzaglio 3 0-0 9, Alyssa Miller 4 0-0 9, Amanda Geiger 4 0-0 8, Angie Lalonde 1 0-0 2, Alex Karika 8 1-1 17, Brooke Clifford 2 0-0 4, Dani Fitzgerald 0 0-0 0, Brianna Sieminski 0 0-0 0, Gabby Allen 0 0-0 0, Kara Moyer 0 0-0 0, Paige Tretter 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 23 1-1 52.

North Hills 12 11 12 22—57Seneca Valley 12 9 17 14—523-point goals: North Hills 2 (Rectenwald, Hans); Seneca Valley 5 (Fronzaglio 3, Miller, Vandrak).

JV score: North Hills 39-32 (2OT)

Thursday: Seneca Valley at Shaler