NAMPA — After rolling in their state 5A girls basketball tournament opener Thursday night, the Coeur d’Alene Vikings left the court stunned when the clock ran out on a seventh straight trip to the championship game.

In what turned out to be a chess match between two seasoned coaches, Centennial guard Sienna Short hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and ended the Vikings’ championship hopes as the Patriots won 58-56 in a semifinal game at the Idaho Center on Friday night.

Trailing by one point late, Centennial went through its offense without calling a timeout, not allowing the Vikings to set up on defense.

“We’d called something before the final possession,” Centennial coach Emery Roy said. “We really didn’t want them to set up on defense again.”

Short finished with a game-high 28 points and was one of only four Patriots to score in the game.

Coeur d’Alene (19-3) will face Highland (22-2), which lost to defending champion Lewiston 43-35 in the other semifinal, today at 11 a.m. PST at Skyview High in Nampa.

With a chance to win, Sydni Parker missed a 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining. The Vikings were unable to get another shot off.

“I thought they had a good game plan,” Coeur d’Alene coach Dale Poffenroth said. “We had every shot to win it.”

Coeur d’Alene took a 54-53 lead on a 3-pointer by Sydni Parker with under three minutes remaining. Kyeli Parker extended the lead on a pair of free throws, but the Vikings were unable to score again.

“You can’t fault our kids,” Poffenroth said. “Most of the time that shot rims out. I thought our kids played well and we stopped the kid we needed to.”

The loss sets up a rematch with Highland, a team the Vikings have beaten in the semifinals twice. Coeur d’Alene (No. 1) and Highland (No. 2) were the top two teams in the final state media poll. It is the first time since 2005 the Vikings haven’t played in the championship game. Coeur d’Alene won state titles in 2008, ’09 and ’10.

“They’re highly disappointed also to be playing in that game,” Poffenroth said. “Now, it’s going to come down to whatever team can pull themselves off the floor after this.”

Kendalyn Brainard and Sydney Williams scored 18 points apiece for Coeur d’Alene.

“We played our hardest,” Brainard said. “There’s a lot of what-ifs, but it wasn’t our night tonight. We can’t always win.”

Of facing Highland again, Brainard added that she’s looking forward to finishing the season strong. 

“It should be exciting,” Brainard said. “Both of us have gotten better since last year. It’s going to feel good to finish strong. We’re going to play our hardest and try to end with a win.”

Coeur d’Alene beat Centennial 54-50 in the 2009 championship game, the last meeting between the schools.

“You know you need to come out with your best stuff against him,” said Roy, who has won nine state championships. “They don’t give you any slack at all, because if you do — they’re going to put it to you.”

Brainard and Caelyn Orlandi played all 32 minutes for Coeur d’Alene.

“Both of them played really well,” Poffenroth said. “It’s a shame that Kendalyn didn’t get the ball at the end. She played good at both ends of the floor tonight.”

Centennial 16 12 15 15 — 58

Coeur d’Alene 16 12 15 13 — 56

CENTENNIAL — Cram 0, Stickney 14, Porchia 14, Majors 0, Short 28, Weigel 2, Williams 0. Totals 21-41 11-12 58.

COEUR d’ALENE — S. Parker 3, Sumner 0, Orlandi 5, K. Parker 10, Legel 2, Brainard 18, Williams 18. Totals 22-49 9-12 56.