DAPHNE, Ala. — The Daphne High girls battled their hearts out but came out on the bitter side of a 41-38 overtime score to visiting McGill-Toolen Catholic in their 6A sub-regional showdown Thursday night.

The Lady Yellow Jackets (18-13) advanced to the first round of the South Regional at the USA Mitchell Center while the Lady Trojans finished their season as the 6A Area 3 Champs and 17-8 overall.

Daphne coach Scott Smith said the toughest part is seeing and feeling the pain of the seniors, Samira Dale, Amanda Patton and Cherilyn Ramsey.

“When it all comes down to it, you feel it most for your seniors,” he said. “Amanda put in four years of her life, gave up summers for this. My other seniors didn't play as long but put their hearts into it too and you just hate it for all of them the most. Amanda, Samira and Cherilyn are going to be successful at whatever they do. The whole team is made up of a great group of girls.”

Daphne led early and 17-14 at the half. They maintained a lead until about three minutes were left in the third quarter when Shaunette Battles capped a Jacket run with a put back for a 20-19 lead. Daphne rallied late in the fourth to tie it 32-32 at the end of regulation.

The last time the two teams played was a blowout by Mc-T but the Lady Trojans were without two injured starters (Brittany McConico and Amber Yelding). Thursday it was illness added to the insult of injury that affected the depth of the DHS bench.

“They beat us by about 28 the last time and we took them to overtime this time,” Smith said. "It's not just one thing and dealing with that (illness and injury) is part of the game. Kids get sick, kids get hurt. It affects everybody sometimes, but it was a definite factor tonight. We were playing with only five or six kids because we had to. Kirsten (Henton) tried to go in the first half but she just couldn't go anymore. We still did well, but they pressured us and the first thing to go when you are only playing five or six kids is your legs. But they played their guts out and I'm as proud of them as any group I’ve ever coached.”

Daphne's Amber Yelding scored 14 points to lead all, Sierra Patterson added nine points, Amanda Patton eight, Cherese Hunter seven and Cherilyn Ramsey four for the Lady Trojans who were 5-of-13 on foul shots.

Michelle Summersell led Mc-T with 12 points, Jasmarae Montgomery added 11 and Danielle Harbin eight for the Jackets who went 6-for-11 at the free-throw line.

In the four-minute overtime, the Lady Jackets built a 38-34 lead, but in the final minute Patterson and Yelding scored on back-to-back inside drives to the basket for Daphne to tie the game at 38-38 and then held the Jackets scoreless until Harbin scored with 25 seconds left and Courtney Harlan sank the first of a one-and-one free throw with only four seconds to play.