Williams Valley celebrates after defeating Northeast Bradford in Friday's opening round of the PIAA Class AA girls' basketball playoffs (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

TOWER CITY — Sage Smeltz’s list of accomplishments during her senior year at Williams Valley is long and impressive.

The achievement she added Friday might be the best of them all so far.

Smeltz scored the game-winning bucket on a layup with 20 seconds left to give the Vikings a 49-46 victory over Northeast Bradford in a PIAA Class AA first-round game.

It’s Williams Valley’s first PIAA girls’ victory since 2015 and advances the District 11 champion Vikings to Tuesday’s second round. Williams Valley will face District 3 runner-up Shalom Christian Academy, a 60-50 winner over District 12 champion SLA Beeber, at a site and time to be announced.

“Fourth quarter … our (assistant) coach Ally Warren said, ‘Do you want to spend your last game being sad or do you want this to not be your last game?’” said Sage Smeltz, who finished with a game-high 16 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.

“That really meant something me. I picked it up. I wanted it so bad. I’m thankful my teammates got me the ball.”

Smeltz’s game-winner came after a free throw by Northeast Bradford’s Lilah Hughes tied the score at 46-46 with 31.7 seconds left.

After a timeout, the Vikings worked the ball down the floor and got it to the left wing, where Ireland Kasper missed a 3-pointer. Mallory Miller battled for the rebound and forced a held-ball situation, with the Vikings owning possession.

Williams Valley coach Shane Zellers called for a play to get the ball to Smeltz and the Vikings worked it to perfection, with Ella Kobularik inbounding the ball to a wide-open Smeltz for the easy layup and a 48-46 lead.

“The inbounds play is I go and screen for (Mallory) so if we have a shot on the wing if we need it,” Smeltz said. “Ireland then comes up and sets a screen. I circle to the basket. The goal is to get me the ball, but we can’t do that without a solid screen and she provided that.

“I knew I had to make it. I KNEW I had to make it or we might not win this game. That was my mentality, make this basket, get open.”

Northeast Bradford (20-8) still had a chance to tie or win the game, but Becca VanDeMark missed a 3-pointer from the right wing with 9 seconds left. Smeltz grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 7.4 seconds left. Since Northeast Bradford wasn’t in the bonus, Williams Valley retained possession.

After a timeout, the Vikes inbounded the ball to Miller, who was fouled. She hit 1-of-2 from the line to make it 49-46 with 5.7 seconds left.

Northeast Bradford, the District 4 runner-up, called timeout with 3.5 seconds left to set up a final play in hopes of tying the game.

The Panthers got the shot they wanted as they worked the ball to Leah Beebe, who hit four 3-pointers in the second half. Her shot from the right wing was off, however, and the Vikings captured the victory.

“(Leah) is one of my purest shooters,” Northeast Bradford coach Ben Beebe said. “I got the look I wanted. I was happy with it.”

Prior to the frantic finish, the contest was a game of runs as the teams traded hot and cold moments.

The game was tied 6-6 after one period and 18-18 with 1:12 left in the first half before VanDeMark and Hughes each hit 3-pointers to give Northeast Bradford a 24-18 lead at intermission. When Leah Beebe opened the third quarter with another 3-pointer, the Panthers led 27-18.

Northeast Bradford connected on eight 3-pointers, with Beebe scoring 12 points and VanDeMark and Hughes each finishing with 10 points.

“They can shoot the basketball. (Beebe) can light it up from anywhere,” Zellers said. “The first half was probably the worst we played all year. We talked about it at halftime … we played that bad, we’re down 6. We’re OK.

“When they came out and hit that 3, I felt like it was a bunch of nerves. Playing in your home gym, hasn’t been this full all year … ever maybe. We were missing layups, doing uncharacteristic things. And they sped us up.

“We were able to stay the course, stay even, play four quarters of basketball and hopefully good things happen in the end.”

Northeast Bradford still led 32-24 with 1:35 left in the third quarter before Williams Valley made its final charge.

A three-point play by Kasper off a feed from Sage Smeltz, a 3-pointer by Quin Smeltz and a driving layup by Miller tied the game at 32-32 after three frames.

Smeltz took over in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points as the teams traded buckets. After Beebe gave NEB a 45-42 lead with 2:59 left, Smeltz scored on a putback and a layup to put the Vikings ahead 46-45 with 1:48 left.

Williams Valley made it a point to work the ball down low to Smeltz, who had a distinct size advantage over the Northeast Bradford defense.

“We wanted to get the ball inside,” Zellers said. “They had no answer for her inside. When they switched, she was able to get some good deep post position. Sage kind of took over the game there at the end.”

Added Ben Beebe: “They didn’t use her too often in the beginning of the game and they started throwing over the top. We laxed on our help-side defense on that.”

In addition to being ranked No. 1 in her class, Smeltz had an all-star season as the Vikings’ goalkeeper in soccer and set the school record for conversion kicks as the placekicker for Williams Valley’s football team.

She’s also playing the role of the priest in Williams Valley’s musical “Mamma Mia!”, which is this weekend. She didn’t have to play her role Friday, but will be under the lights Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Smeltz thrived in the bright lights of the basketball court Friday night and the Vikings live to play another round because of it.

“The girls deserve this, they earned this,” Zellers said. “I can’t thank the community enough for coming out and supporting us. It got loud in here. I think that helped carry us to the win.”

Game Summary

PIAA Girls’ Basketball

Class AA First Round

At Tower City

NORTHEAST BRADFORD (46) — M. Maynard 1 0-2 2, Beebe 4 0-0 12, L. Maynard 3 1-4 8, VanDeMark 3 2-2 10, Hughes 4 1-2 10, Dughi 1 2-2 4. Totals 16 6-12 46.

WILLIAMS VALLEY (49) — Kobularik 1 0-0 2, Miller 5 1-4 13, Q. Smeltz 3 0-0 7, S. Smeltz 8 0-3 16, Kasper 4 1-1 10, Hechler 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 3-10 49.

NEB (20-8)             6 … 18 … 8 … 14 — 46

WV (23-3)               6 … 12 … 14 … 17 — 49

3-point FGs: Beebe 4, L. Maynard, VanDeMark 2, Hughes, Miller 2, Q. Smeltz, Kasper

Officials: Fiamoncini, Jacoby, Rickert