BUTLER TWP - Friday wasn't designated as Kelly Miller Night in the Butler High School gym.

But it could have been.

The lone senior on the Golden Tornado varsity girls basketball team underwent surgery for her torn ACL Thursday, then showed up for Senior Night in a wheelchair.

"This was a pretty emotional night for us," Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. "Our girls really wanted to win this one for her."

Butler (10-14, 4-10) rallied from a 13-point deficit in the second quarter to grab a three-point lead late in the third period, only to succumb down the stretch and drop a 64-55 decision to New Castle.

The victory was the Red Hurricane's fourth straight and gave the program its first-ever outright section championship.

New Castle was co-section champion in 1986.

"This game was extremely important to us," New Castle coach Luann Grybowski said. "But we played a terrible third quarter."

A 9-0 Butler run turned a 40-34 deficit into a 43-40 lead with 50 seconds left in the quarter. Amy Achesinski sank a baseline jumper, Liz Schultz sank a free throw, Rachel Barry canned a layup, Achesinski hit another short jumper and Schultz nailed a layup off an assist from Julie Ehrman to complete the flurry.

But Ryenn Micaletti answered for New Castle (18-4, 11-3), draining a 3-pointer to tie the game. The Hurricane then stole the ball and Jaleesa Sams hit a jumper at the buzzer to regain the lead for the visitors.

"Those few seconds were so critical," Epps said. "They turned the game. Turnovers hurt us all night."

Butler finished with 19 turnovers to New Castle's 10.

An Ehrman 3-pointer got the Tornado within 47-46 with 6:50 remaining in the game, but Butler scored just two points in the next five minutes as New Castle pulled away.

Sams led New Castle with 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Micaletti added 13 points, including four treys, and Nikki Karatinos had 11 points and five assists. Natalie Wallace had 10 points and six rebounds.

A 64-percent foul shooting team, New Castle hit just 11 of 21 free throws Friday.

The Hurricane are defending WPIAL Class AAAA champions.

"I'm so proud of these girls," Epps said. "We fought hard tonight. Kelly was their inspiration. They know what she's meant to this program and to all of them."

Butler's players wore T-shirts during pre-game warm-ups depicting the words "Miller Time" and "We love our senior."

After the game, Miller received flowers, a basketball and a balloon from her teammates and coaches.

Achesinski led Butler with 21 points and eight rebounds. Barry added 13 points, Ehrman nine, and Schultz had seven points and eight boards.

The Tornado ended the year with seven losses in their final eight games and missed the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in seven years.

NEW CASTLE 64

Ryenn Micaletti 4-9 1-2 13, Nikki Karatinos 4-10 3-5 11, Logan Hartman 1-2 0-2 2, Jaleesa Sams 8-13 3-6 19, Shirl Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Natalie Wallace 3-5 4-4 10, Kara Joseph 3-7 0-0 9. Totals: 23-46 11-21 64

BUTLER 55

Rachel Barry 4-7 4-4 13, Karissa King 0-2 0-0 0, Liz Schultz 3-5 1-2 7, Ashley Nocera 1-3 0-1 3, Kelley Crater 0-1 0-0 0, Amy Achesinski 9-14 3-5 21, Maria Baroffio 1-6 0-0 2, Julie Ehrman 3-4 0-0 9, Michelle Ritchey 0-3 0-0 0. Totals: 21-45 8-12 55

3-point goals:

Micaletti 4, Joseph 3; Barry, Nocera, Ehrman 3

JV:

Butler, 40-26 (B-Ehrman 9, NC-Hartman 10)