NORMAL — All season long, Benet battled.

The Redwings lost seven games in the regular season, their most under ninth-year coach Joe Kilbride.

They squeaked past Kenwood by a point in the Class 4A supersectional and fell behind by 15 in the second quarter of Saturday’s 4A championship game against O’Fallon.

Then the Panthers forced overtime when Illinois State recruit Shannon Dowell hit a pair of late free throws and the Redwings couldn’t get two shots to fall in the final six seconds of regulation.

Indiana recruit Lenee Beaumont and Emilia Solarski hit key free throws in OT to help Benet ahead. But Dowell made a three-pointer from the right corner to tie it and force double overtime.

That’s when O’Fallon finally gained some separation, edging Benet 62-57 in an instant classic.

Indiana State recruit Jailah Pelly put O’Fallon ahead to stay at 58-56 with a basket with 2:26 left in the second overtime. She added two free throws with 15.8 seconds left and Dowell clinched it hitting two foul shots with three seconds remaining.

Benet (26-8) was seeking its third state title, all since 2015. O’Fallon (34-4) was making its first trip to state.

Beaumont led Benet with 27 points, Samantha Trimberger added 13 and Emilia Sularski had 11.

Dowell scored 25 for O’Fallon.

Emilia Sularski hit a three-pointer from the left wing to give Benet (26-7) a 50-48 lead with 1:16 left in regulation.

Dowell made two free throws with 17.3 seconds left to tie it.

Benet missed two shots in the final six seconds of regulation.

After Beaumont and Sularski went 4 for 4 from the line to put Benet up 54-51 with 2:29 remaining in overtime, Dowell made her clutch three-pointer with 2:00 to play. Neither team scored again, sending the game to double overtime.

Dowell had 10 points in the first half as O’Fallon went into the break up 27-20. Beaumont had nine points to lead Benet.

The Panthers hit 11 of their first 13 shots to open their big lead.