Above: St. Paul’s Holly Shafer (No. 44) came up big Wednesday in helping the Swordsmen advance to the Division 4A semifinals with a 40-38 win over visiting St. Bonaventure. (Photo by Chris Burt)

St. Paul, after losing in the semifinals last season, will get another shot at dancing for the title after holding on for a 40-38 victory over St. Bonaventure in Division 4A Wednesday.
Whittier wasn’t so fortunate, losing a 55-52 decision to host Redondo in 2AA. The Cardinals finish 25-5.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Division 4A
Quarterfinals
St. Paul 40, St. Bonaventure 38
SANTA FE SPRINGS — Evidently someone knew what they were talking about when the St. Paul girls basketball team was seeded second in the Division 4A CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
The Swordsmen defeated St. Bonaventure, 40-38, in the quarterfinals Wednesday night at St. Paul to advance to their third consecutive semifinal appearance.
St. Paul (17-13), playing in the newly formed CIF divisions, will play at a neutral site to be determined against third-seeded Brentwood on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Brentwood, an at-large team from the Alpha League, was a 52-46 winner over St. Monica Catholic.
No. 2 St. Paul will be trying to advance to their first title game since the 2005 season.
With the Swordsmen holding a two-point lead, 40-38, with just 08.8 remaining, junior Holly Shafer missed both free throws allowing St. Bonaventure one last chance to tie the game. But, after a missed layup by St. Bonaventure junior guard McKenna Hill, St. Paul ran out the clock.
St. Paul coach Robert Miller: “Holly Shafer really stepped up huge for us and that three she hit just before the half was huge.”