Staff photo / Neel Madhavan Canfield’s Carly Fleming (22) drives past Copley’s Sophie Arnold (30) during the Cardinals’ Division III regional semifinal loss to the Indians on Thursday in Canton.

CANTON — It’s never easy when the season comes to an abrupt, screeching halt.

The Canfield girls basketball team’s decorated senior class found that out the hard way on Wednesday, as the Cardinals’ season came to an end at the hands of Youngstown State-signee Evelyn McKnight and her Copley Indians 46-41 in the Division III regional semifinal at Canton Memorial Fieldhouse.

“When you put everything into it — and we told them this — when you put your heart into something like they did, you risk having your heart broken,” said Canfield coach Matt Reel while choking back tears. “That group there, their heart’s broken, and my heart’s broken for them because they’re one of my favorite groups to coach ever. It’s the hardest speech you gotta give. But, we just told them, even though the scoreboard says we lost, they didn’t lose all the things that make them what they are.”

Canfield’s seven seniors — Jenna Triveri, Carly Fleming, Sofia Castronova, Ceci Muckleroy, Lorieona Jannone, Jenna Havrilla and Brooke O’Palick — will long be remembered as one of the Cardinals’ most successful senior classes in program history.

As freshmen, Triveri, Fleming and Castronova were part of Canfield’s regional runner-up team in 2023, and since then, that trio and the rest of the Cardinals’ seniors have compiled 87 wins over their high school careers, which includes three district championships in the last four years.

“They’ve set a standard that very few teams in our history have done,” Reel said. “We’ve had some excellent teams, and they’re right up there with them. But I think when you watch them play, they are so aggressive and hardworking that they make up for any shortcomings they have with just heart. I told them, I just love those guys, I do. I was hoping I could coach better so they could play one more game together.”

Against Copley, Canfield’s downfall came on the offensive end of the floor. Despite plenty of opportunities, the Cardinals struggled to make shots at their normal clip, especially around the basket, as they shot just 32.1% on the night.

The Indians’ length, along with the shot-blocking ability of 6-foot center Alejandra Morrondo-Garcia, helped keep Canfield from finishing in the paint.

In the second quarter, the Cardinals made three of their first four shots to open the period, which briefly tied things up after they trailed 11-8 at the end of the first quarter. However, Canfield missed its next 10 shots as it went scoreless the rest of the half. Copley took an 18-14 lead into halftime.

“I thought we had some great takes to the hoop, and we didn’t finish them,” Reel said. “Their length affected those shots. In a game like this, you’ve really gotta go convert when you have those opportunities. Everybody looks at the fourth quarter, but we probably look back more at the second quarter, where we just had some opportunities that we didn’t finish. It could have been a totally different feeling going in at half against them.”

McKnight, a finalist for Ohio’s annual “Ms. Basketball” award, carried the Indians, particularly offensively. Whenever Copley was teetering, she delivered basket after basket.

She finished with 23 points, while also making her presence felt all over the floor. McKnight defended hard, blocked shots, rebounded and made countless passes to set up her teammates for clutch baskets.

“She’s an outstanding player, and you can see why she’s going to YSU and really be a four-year player for them,” Reel said. “She’s very difficult to guard, and she was as good tonight in terms of controlling the game as anyone we’ve played this year. I think what makes her special is she just has tremendous feel for the game, and she knows the moments when she’s got to take over. She’s a heady basketball player, and I can’t say enough good things about her.”

Despite trailing 35-25 at the end of the third quarter, Canfield refused to go away without a fight.

The Cardinals slowly chipped away at the Indians’ lead, cutting it all the way down to four with 4:27 left. But ultimately, that would be as close as Canfield would get the rest of the way.

The Cardinals had looks to make it a one-possession game down the stretch, but they just couldn’t convert.

“I think a lot of that’s a credit to their defense because I thought it was a hard-fought game both ways,” Reel said. “They wore us down a little bit, and they’re very physical. They make it hard for you to get great shots. I knew we were going to give it another shot there, and I really think if we could have maybe hit a two or three there, maybe the game changes.”

Fleming led Canfield with 15 points, which included scoring all eight of the Cardinals’ points in the first quarter. Sofia Castronova and Noelle Sahli each had seven points, while Muckleroy finished with six.

The Indians will face the winner of Warrensville Heights and Lyndhurst Brush in the regional final on Saturday at 4 p.m. back at Canton Memorial Fieldhouse.