After a heartbreaking loss in the Division IV state championship a year ago, the second-ranked Hiland Lady Hawks set out this season to take care of some "unfinished business."

No. 3 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep made sure things were left undone.

The Warriors hit four foul shots in the final 37 seconds to break a 41-all tie last Saturday, and the Lady Hawks followed with two turnovers as Harvest Prep won its first-ever state title, beating Hiland 45-41 in front of 4,529 fans at Ohio State's Jerome Schottenstein Center.

Harvest Prep - which ended its season 27-1 - rallied from an 18-point deficit to top Fort Loramie in the Final Four a day earlier and held-off state royalty Hiland to capture its first title in its first try.

Hiland (25-3), stopped in the final a year ago by Columbus Africentric, was vying for its fifth title this decade.

Instead, the Lady Hawks settled for their third runner-up trophy, finishing second in 1989 and 2009.

Hiland was unable to get into the offensive rhythm that propelled it to its 11th state tournament.

The Lady Hawks struggled to find a consistent shooting touch, hitting 27 percent (13 of 48) of their shots from the floor and 36 percent (4 of 11) of their 3-pointers. Hiland was 11 of 15 from the line in the first half, but didn't make an appearance in the second.

"We had 15 free throws in the first half and none in the second," Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said. "Our inability, for whatever reason, to get to the foul line in the second half was big. We struggled with their size inside and finishing shots. "It would have been nice to win a state championship, but I am real concerned with how my seniors are feeling night now."

The effort was there, Schlabach said, adding that this senior class - Hilary Weaver, Noelle Yoder, Jessica Stutzman, Katelyn Stuckey and Mykelia Mast - gave it their all.

"It's a tough day for our seniors," the Hiland coach said. "... This group - for the past six to eight years - has sacrificed a great deal. They are truly some of the greatest leaders we have ever had in our program in the 19-years I have been here.

"When you give so much, it's a very painful ending when you don't accomplish your goal."

Yoder picked off a pass, and Weaver finished the fastbreak with a fancy drive as Hiland pulled even at 41-all with 36.9 seconds to go.

But Cheyenne Rose and Shicole Watts combined to go 4 of 4 from the line as the Warriors pushed ahead by four with less than 16 seconds left.

Harvest Prep struggled from the line up until that point, hitting 63 percent (5 of 8) in the first three quarters and 67 percent (10 of 15) for the game. The Warriors were 5 of 7 in the fourth.

"We were fortunate," Warriors coach David Dennis, Sr. said. "As you know to win a state championship, it takes some luck as well. These girls really dug deep and found a way [to win]. I'm very happy for them."

Weaver - the Division IV co-Player of the Year - scored 19 points with three assists and three steals. The Lehigh University recruit leaves as the program's most prolific point guard, topping the all-time assists list, as well as surpassing 1,000 career points scored.

Watts - Weaver's counterpart as Player of the Year - had 14 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two of the final four foul shots that sunk Hiland.

"I had to do what I had to," the 6-foot-1 junior said. "Everyone was telling me that I was playing soft. So I had to play physical and go for it."

Stutzman - who plays with Compartment syndrome - was sensational in her senior finale for Hiland. The 5-foot-7 guard had five points with four rebounds and two huge steals, including an incredible leaping grab in the first quarter that led to an uncontested drive.

Playing through pain, Stutzman also drew five charges.

Schlabach praised her game, calling it a gutsy performance.

"That was the single most incredible defensive performance I have ever seen," he said. "She has Compartment syndrome; she shouldn't even be playing. She could have probably given this thing up three or four years ago. But Jess has stayed with the program and given every ounce that she could possibly give."

"These five seniors just wanted to go out and lay it all on the floor," Stutzman said. "I knew I had to give as much as I could for every one of my teammates. I was going to play through [the pain] whether I felt it or not."

Weaver followed Stutzman's drive in the first with a 3-pointer as Hiland broke a 4-all tie with a 7-0 run and concluded the first quarter with a 13-9 lead.

Weaver had a sweet drive and the Lady Hawks pushed ahead 17-9 with 6:57 remaining in the second.

But Watts had a pair of pull-up jumpers, and Destiny Turner scored on a drive, spurring a Harvest Prep 8-3 rally and pulling the Warriors to 20-17 with 4:34 left in the half.

Weaver, however, got back to work, cutting through traffic and scoring on a drive. She then hit a pair of free throws to put Hiland up 27-21 at halftime.

Harvest Prep opened the second half on an 11-5 run capped by a Watts free throw, tying the game at 32-all.

Hiland broke things open on a Yoder 3-pointer, but the Warriors outscored the Lady Hawks 6-2 in the remaining 2:11 to take a 38-37 edge into the fourth quarter.

The Warriors dominated defensively in the final frame, but the Lady Hawks kept things close.

Weaver tied the game at 41 on a drive, but Rose and Watts were golden from the line in the final 37 seconds to win their first state title.

Jaren Francis added nine points and six rebounds for the Warriors, who outrebounded the Lady Hawks 36-31.

Yoder had six points and four boards for Hiland, which had four of its five seniors sign collegiate scholarships.

Time and time again, Hiland hit big shots to win games.

Schlabach said he thought one was bound to drop.

It never did.