But that’s when Erika Salls took over.

The Mounties’ senior guard scored 15 of her game-high 25 points in the final five minutes of the game to send her undefeated and top-seeded team to the C-1 finals. After Fox’s basket with just less than five minutes remaining made it 38-36 Cooperstown, Little Falls junior Courtney Terzi tied the score at 38 with a driving lay-up.

Salls scored the next nine points of the game, including five from the free throw line, and the Mounties’ 11-0 run gave them a 47-38 lead with 1:30 remaining. Fox scored again with 1:15 left to cut the lead to 47-40, the Redskins first points in almost four minutes, but Salls answered with a three-point shot, giving her 13 straight points, and Little Falls a 50-40 lead.

``Erika has something called a very fierce desire to win,’’ said Little Falls head coach Pam Munger. ``She wasn’t going to let us lose this game.’’

The Redskins did not help their own cause at the foul line, making just 12-25 free throws in the game, including three front ends of one-and-one opportunities in the fourth quarter.

The victory was the third for Little Falls (22-0) over Cooperstown this season, including a 62-60 victory in Cooperstown earlier this month.

``We knew beating them three times would be a challenge, but my girls accepted that challenge and wanted this game,’’ Munger said. ``Give Cooperstown credit, they are a very good team and they played a great game all three times we played them this year.’’

Despite getting just three first half points from Fox, who sat much of the second quarter with two fouls, Cooperstown held a 22-21 halftime advanheld a 22-21 halftime lead.

Cooperstown junior guard Kate Cring scored eight of her 12 points in the first half to pick up the slack, and reserve guard Lindsay Valentine contributed four unexpected points as well.

Cooperstown finished the season with a 13-8 overall record, and lost their final four games of the regular season as they struggled with turnovers. CCS head coach Frank Miosek had 6’0 forward Jen Wehner help break Little Falls’ press Saturday and the Lady Redskins generally broke the press with ease.

``Jen Wehner is a great player and causes us the most match-up problems,’’ Munger said. ``She can play inside or outside, she’s just very impressive.’’

Wehner finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

CCS will return all five starters plus Valentine next season, but Miosek said the team can’t afford to sit back and expect success next year.

``As a team, we only hit one three-point shot all year, so we need someone to step up into that role,’’ Miosek said. ``Our team foul shooting also needs to improve.

``The competition in our league and section has been very good the past two seasons, and that won’t change next year. We can expect a lot of close games.’’