Some timely scoring by Tori Henrichs and Katie Heuer helped send North Butler to the Class 2A championship game.

Henrichs scored all of her 10 points in the fourth quarter and Heuer added a key basket in the lane and a free throw to help the third-ranked Bearcats protect their lead in a 47-40 victory over No. 2 AGWSR on Thursday.

Jessica Johnson led North Butler with 12 points, while Erin Brocka added eight points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. The Bearcats improved to 27-1 and will play for the title at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Their only loss was to AGWSR in the seventh game of the season.

AGWSR lost for the first time in 27 games. Mindy Hutchcroft led the Cougars with 17 points, while Kristin Rasmussen and Jessica McDowell each scored nine. McDowell and Kari Mutschler grabbed six rebounds apiece.

Down 18-16 at halftime, North Butler outscored AGWSR 15-6 in the third quarter to open a 31-24 lead. Heuer got things started with a jumper and a 3-pointer and Johnson followed with six points in the quarter.

Then it was Henrichs' turn to come through. She hit three 3-pointers in the first 3:04 of the final quarter, the last one giving the Bearcats a 40-28 lead.

Heuer's basket stopped a 5-0 AGWSR run and made it 42-33, and she and Henrichs each made a free throw for a 44-37 lead with 36.4 seconds to play. That proved to be enough for the Bearcats to win it.

North Butler was formed in 2005 as a combination of the Allison-Bristow and Greene school districts. The Bearcats lost in the semifinals of last year's tournament.