ST. MARYS — For the third year in a row, the Kane Lady Wolves are Allegheny Mountain League champions.

Kane (15-9) defeated Elk County Catholic 45-40 to clinch the championship.

The Lady Wolves led 22-16 at halftime before pushing that advantage to 34-25 entering the fourth, and then staved off a Lady Crusader (14-10) comeback bid in the fourth.

Ainsley Saf led all scorers with 18 points for KAHS, while Emily Bucheit added 14. Sarri Swanson scored eight.

Taylor Newton paced ECC with 13 points, while Brooke Bauer scored 10.

Elk Catholic had swept the Lady Wolves in the regular season by scores of 36-35 and 43-38.

Both teams will now venture into the District 9 postseason. Elk Catholic is seeded fourth in the Class A tournament, and will face Union on Thursday night at Punxsutawney High School. The winner of that game will advance to take on No. 1 North Clarion on Feb. 25.

Kane, meanwhile, enters the postseason as the seventh-ranked team in Class AA. The Lady Wolves face No. 2 Redbank Valley at Punxsutawney on Friday night. The winner of that matchup will face the winner of No. 6 Clarion and No. 3 Port Allegany.

AT ST. MARYS

Kane (45)

Ainsley Saf 6 1-2 18, Emily Bucheit 3 7-10 14, Swanson 3 2-3 8, Koza 2 0-0 4, Wright 0 1-2 1, Hillman 0 0-2 0. Totals: 14 11-19 45

Elk Catholic (40)

Taylor Newton 6 1-4 13, Brooke Bauer 4 0-0 10, Geci 4 1-2 9, Wesiner 1 0-0 2, Aikens 2 0-0 4, Fledderman 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 2-6 40

Kane 8 22 34 45

ECC 4 16 25 40

Three-point goals: Kane 6 (Saf 5, Bucheit), ECC 2 (Bauer)