JACKSON TWP — 1.8 seconds left. Down by one. Andrew Omasits at the free throw line.

No problem.

The Seneca Valley senior guard caught nothing but net on both free throws, handing the Raiders an improbable 45-44 WPIAL 6A quarterfinal boys basketball win over Hempfield in the SV gym Thursday night.

The victory marked SV’s first WPIAL playoff triumph since 2021 and puts the Raiders in the PIAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. SV will face Upper St. Clair in the 6A semifinals on Monday.

The Raiders trailed 44-40 with 19 seconds left and had not possessed the lead since holding a 7-6 advantage with 3:22 left in the first quarter. But they never trailed by more than seven the entire night.

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“Just hang in there and keep on swinging,” SV coach Kevin Trost said. “That’s what these guys do.”

Seneca Valley (14-9) has played a number of tight games this season. Thursday night marked the Raiders’ sixth win by seven or fewer points on the campaign.

This one was probably the craziest.

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Hempfield (15-8) had a 36-32 and the basketball with 2:45 left in the game, while the Raiders had only one team foul. By the time SV picked up its fifth foul to force the Spartans to the foul line, only 1:35 remained on the clock.

Luke Williams sank a pair of free throws to give Hempfield a six-point lead.

“We never felt like we couldn’t find a way to win,” SV senior center Owen Congdon said. “We just kept fighting, possession by possession. No way were we giving up.”

A Ryan Priester trey pulled the Raiders within three. After Dan Husenits sank two free throws for the Spartans, Congdon answered with a three-point play to cut the gap to 40-38 with 48 seconds left.

Three more Hempfield free throws widened the gap to five. Omasits - who was 6-for-6 at the line in the fourth quarter - hit two free throws, but another Husenits free toss gave Hempfield a 44-40 edge with 19 seconds to go.

“We wound up winning the free throw game - which had to happen,” Trost said.

So did a Jaxon Householder trey, which he nailed with 7.4 seconds to play, cutting the Raider deficit to 44-43. Householder missed eight of his nine shots from the floor prior to hitting that 3-pointer.

The Spartans missed a pair of freer throws with 6.7 seconds left, setting up Omasits’ heroics.

“I just knew I had to drive to the basket,” Omasits said. “It didn’t go in, but fortunately, I got a call and got to the line.”

He knew what was at stake. But he never showed it.

“That kid is as clutch as they come,” Trost said.

“A lot of players crumble in those situations, can’t handle it,” Omasits said. “I enjoy it. I thrive on stuff like that. I want the ball in my hands.”

Hempfield’s ensuing inbounds pass was deflected, forcing a Spartan to grab the ball deep in the backcourt and unsuccessfully hurl it toward the backboard. Seneca Valley’s student section stormed the floor in jubilation as the final buzzer sounded.

“We were that close,” Hempfield coach Austin Butler said. “One more stop, one more free throw, one more rebound ... It just didn’t happen. We executed our late possessions perfectly. We made them put us on the line and that’s what we wanted.”

Before missing four of their last six free throws, the Spartans were 15 of 20 from the line on the night.

Omasits had 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Raiders. Priester had 12 points, Congdon 10. Lucas Simmons and Husenits had 17 points and seven rebounds each for Hempfield.

“The best thing about tonight is we get to work with these kids a little bit longer,” Trost said. “That’s what it’s all about. They’re a lot of fun to be around.”

HEMPFIELD 44

Lucas Simmons 7-18 3-5 17, Daniel Husenits 5-6 6-10 17, Trevor Donsen 1-11 4-6 6, Lucas Williams 1-2 0-0 2, Alex Waitkus 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas Rennie 0-1 0-0 0, Jack Kopas 0-0 2-4 2, Ian Spennati 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 13-43 17-26 44.

SENECA VALLEY 45

Owen Congdon 4-8 2-5 10, Jaxon Householder 2-9 0-0 5, Andrew Omasits 2-10 8-8 13, Ryan Priester 5-11 0-0 12, Nico Santapau 0-0 0-0 0, Luke West 1-2 2-2 5, Reese Fatur 0-0 0-0 0, Easton Blair 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 14-41 12-18 45.

Hempfield 11 13 8 12 - 44

Seneca Valley 8 11 8 18 - 45

3-point goals: Hempfield 1 (Husenits), Seneca Valley 5 (Householder, Omasits, Priester 2, West)

Monday: WPIAL 6A semifinal-Seneca Valley vs. Upper St. Clair, site and time TBD