The pain the Bishop Chatard High School girls basketball team suffered in Saturday's final-seconds 47-46 loss to Plymouth in the Class 3A state championship game will eventually fade.

What this group and its five senior leaders accomplished, however, will never be forgotten.

Ellen Alerding, Anne Boese, Megan Gardner, Jessica Hupp and Caroline Schutzman helped lead Chatard to a 75-22 record over the past four seasons -- including a 23-5 mark and No. 5 ranking in 2007-08. The five players helped Chatard win its first three sectionals, its first regional and semistate titles and make it to its first championship game.

"I'm extremely proud of our five seniors," said coach Kevin Sweeney, who took over their freshman year after coaching them in CYO or AAU ball since the seventh grade.

"They've been an outstanding group the last four years. They did everything we've asked them to do. It's been one heck of a run. I'm not sure you're going to see the likes of these five come through Chatard basketball ever again.

"They're five young ladies that I love."

Boese and Gardner played regularly for Chatard's first sectional champion in 2005 when they were freshmen, joining a team that had gone 13-28 the previous two seasons.

Schutzman transferred in as a sophomore and joined the starting lineup, and Alerding and Hupp have contributed as role players.

On Saturday, the senior class scored 42 of the team's 46 points and combined for 21 rebounds, 11 assists, six steals and three blocks.

Chatard had won its final two sectional games by eight points, both regional games by two and went to overtime in the semistate before falling to Plymouth on a free throw by Leslie Swihart with 3.5 seconds remaining.

"We've played together since seventh grade," said Boese, who had 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks Saturday. "The past seniors were great leaders, and we were able to take their roles and set a great tone, not only for next year but years to come. I'm very proud we made it the farthest of any class (in program history).

"I'm very proud of our five seniors."