COAL TOWNSHIP -- Kelsey Yacko was nothing short of sensational in the flow of Tuesday's game, continuously coming up with plays both big and little for Shamokin.

At a most critical point, however, the game slowed to a halt and Yacko was alone at the foul line, the ball in hand and the outright Heartland Athletic Conference Division I championship there for the taking.

"I was pretty nervous, but I knew I had to make them if we wanted to win," said Yacko. "I had to block everything out and focus on the shots."

The junior forward literally shook away her jitters and buried two free throws, rattling in the second, for a four-point lead with seven seconds left, which made all the difference when Maddy Moser swished a 25-footer on Danville's final touch.

Yacko played her best all-around varsity game, sparking tie-breaking runs at the end of each half, and Shamokin repeated as HAC-I champion with a 41-40 win at the Purple Palace.

The Indians, who replaced four starters from a team that was unbeaten in the division last season, won their 12th consecutive game after a 5-5 start and finished 13-1 in the league.

"This has been a great fairy tale," said Shamokin coach Bill Callahan. "Twelve straight after everything we've been through. ... I'm so proud. I told the girls I couldn't be happier."

Danville (15-6, 11-3) could have been left for dead when a five-point halftime deficit grew to 36-27 with about 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Ironmen bridged the fourth quarter with a nine-point run, including five of Siobhan Bross' 11 points, to tie.

"The second half we really played a great defensive game," said Bross. "Unfortunately our legs were just getting tired, and I think in the end that caught up with us a little bit."

Danville forced 11 second-half turnovers and limited the Indians to four field goals after halftime. But, like she did in the first half, Yacko pulled down a couple of defensive rebounds, knocked down a jumper and made a steal in the backcourt -- all in a span of three possessions -- to give the Indians some breathing room.

"Yacko really hurt us on the boards," said Danville coach Steve Moser. "To her credit, she did a heck of a number on the boards, and I think the boards was the telling tale."

With less than a minute to play, Bross made the second of two foul shots to pull the Ironmen within 39-37. Then Taryn Beaver poked a ball away on Shamokin's end. Maddy Moser collected it and got it ahead to Bross, who took it to the hoop and was blocked by Shamokin's Steph Pancher. Yacko eventually tracked down the loose ball and was fouled ahead of her game-winning free throws.

Maddy Moser, who matched Pancher with a game-high 14 points, hit her fourth 3-pointer from in front of Danville's bench to add drama to a last inbound pass. After Montanah James poked the first attempt out of bounds with 1.6 seconds showing, Yacko whipped a pass downcourt to Keena Zalar to kill the clock.

"Coach said that, no matter what, in the fourth quarter it's going to be a close game," said Yacko. "This game we knew we had to play all four quarters and step up at the end."

"We never had the lead (after 21-20), and I thought that was a key," said Steve Moser. "We had couple opportunities, but we didn't. I think if we could have gotten the lead, it could have been a different ball game."

Danville played a strong first quarter, with the exception of a few turnovers, shooting 6-for-11 and grabbing the lead, 15-13. Maddy Moser's consecutive treys countered a Shamokin spurt for a 21-18 lead.

Yacko answered with baskets on three straight turns to shoot the Indians ahead. She scored on a drive, then followed up Pancher's missed foul shot on a three-point play opportunity. Yacko made it 26-21 when she put back her own miss amid traffic in the lane.

"I thought there for that one stretch we lost people on the boards," said Steve Moser. "We gave up too many easy ones the first half. For us to give up 30 in a half is pretty rare."

Shamokin led 30-25 at halftime. Pancher, the Indians' main post presence, had 12 points and five rebounds at the break, while Yacko had seven and five.

"I told the girls at halftime, 'That's a district game.' It was very intense," said Callahan. "I really think the girls on both sides should be commended."

"It's definitely bittersweet," Bross said of Danville's rally from nine down in the third. "We aren't going to hang our heads."