By TODD STUMPF

The Post sports editor

SHREVE TWP. - An unpredictable season ended with a very predictable ending for Rittman's girls basketball team.

The 12th-seeded Indians fell 63-23 to top-seeded Smithville in the opening game of the Triway Division III Sectional in The Pit at Triway High School.

The Indians finish a frustrating season with one win against 20 losses. They weren't likely to make much noise in the tournament but their chance of doing anything at all disappeared when state-ranked Smithville elected not to take a bye in the first round.

It's a move that's becoming more popular in girls basketball circles, but also one that's leading to a lot of first-round outcomes like this one.

Indians coach John Grandetti, whose team was on the wrong end of three blowout scores against the Smithies (21-0) this year, had no problem with Smithville electing to pass on the bye.

"Mike is so consistent with how he coaches and with his philosophy and I knew he was going to take that line (on the bracket)," Grandetti said of Smithies coach Mike Miller. "We had our chances the second half of the year to put a few wins together and we wouldn't be in that situation. It's the seeding process and that's how it works."

The duo of 6-foot-1 senior post Tara Schaffter and 5-10 junior guard Kylie Frizzell outscored the Indians 31-23, despite not playing for most of the second half. Schaffter finished with a game-high 17 points to go with eight rebounds; Frizzell scored all 14 of her points in the first half.

"You could see what we were trying to do with Frizzell," Grandetti said. "Just beat her. We lost her a couple times and she went nuts over the last four minutes of the second quarter."

Sarah Berger led Rittman with 9 points, eight coming in the first half. Cindy Dotterer added 5.

Smithville (20-1) advances to face Hillsdale on Saturday, Feb. 25. Rittman bows out at 1-19.

The Indians hung tough for as long as could be expected. Maybe a smidge longer. They trailed 8-4 in the latter part of the first quarter, but by the end of the period faced a 14-6 deficit.

"We actually played some pretty good basketball the last couple weeks," Grandetti said. "We put some things together."

From that point Smithville methodically pulled away. Midway through the second period they led 23-8 and 35-17 by halftime. Frizzell scored 12 of her 14 points in the second quarter.

Offense notwithstanding, defense and rebounding were why Smithville dominated. The Smithies' pressure, which they only employed in the first half, gave Rittman fits just getting into a halfcourt set. When the Indians did shoot, they seldom got a second chance.

At the other end, when the Smithies didn't score in transition, they overwhelmed the Indians on the boards. Smithville had several possessions that ended with baskets on fourth or fifth shots.

"The thing is, they play such good defense," Grandetti said of Smithville. "As an offensive player, you've got to be patient against that defense. That's where I want to be from a defensive standpoint."

When Smithville's starters left the floor, their intensity stayed there. With mostly backups in the game, the Smithies outscored Rittman 12-2 in the third quarter

"His young kids come in and there's no let-up," Grandetti said. "They still play incredible defense."