There were sparks but none big enough to catch fire for Bethlehem Catholic in its 46-42 loss to Greencastle-Antrim in the first round of PIAA Class 5A girls basketball state playoffs last Wednesday night at Becahi.

The Golden Hawks’ first spark came in the second quarter on a fast break by Becahi forward Yarian Fernandez after teammate Stephanie Donato’s 3-pointer; the next was Cici Hernandez’s three in the third quarter; and the next was Donato’s three in the fourth.

But the Blue Devils maintained their one-step-ahead pace, and a fast one at that, to preserve their lead all game until 1:56 remaining on the clock.

That’s when Hernandez’s 3-pointer tied the game, 40-40, but that’s as close as the Hawks would get to turning the tables on the Devils.

“We just didn’t get over the hump,” said Becahi coach Jose Medina. “We had a great defensive possession, we got the ball back, and we didn’t execute. We gave it right back to them, and their defense created an opportunity for them and that was the difference in the game.”

Greencastle’s Mia Libby made the most of that opportunity, and her teammate, Rylee Hanson, all but sealed the deal for the Blue Devils on two free throws.

“We had to scratch and claw to battle back, and the way that we play, we have kids that are really great defensively but have to work on the offense, we have kids that are really great offensively but have to work on the defense. We had an opportunity,” said Becahi coach Jose Medina.

Becahi forward Cydney Stanton scored in the final second, but by then, Greencastle had the game won.

“They did a great job of getting us to play fast and causing us to make mistakes,” Medina said. “We knew that coming in, using their defense to kind of jump start the things they want to do offensively.”

Becahi played without 6-foot junior center/forward Kendra Rigo, who had been under the weather for the days leading up to the state playoff game.

The Blue Devils moved on to the second round of state playoffs, losing to Cardinal O’Hara on Sunday. Cardinal O’Hara is the team that bumped the Hawks from the second round of states last year.

Becahi will graduate four seniors: Stanton, Donato, Keyara Walters, and Kourtney Wilson.

“They’re a special group of girls,” said Medina. “Their first year with us, we won the state championship in 2019 when they were freshmen. They’re going through a lot of emotions right now.”