PIQUA — The house was rocking Thursday night at Edison State Community College.

And now, the game the Chargers, 28-0, have been waiting for all season comes Saturday, when Edison State hosts Bryant & Stratton at 1 p.m. for a berth in the national tournament.

“This was probably the loudest the gym has been all year,” Edison State coach Tim McMahon said. “It really was a great atmosphere. Our goal was to go to nationals and if we win Saturday, we do that.”

And as always, assistant coach Doug Martin played a big role in the win.

“Doug (Martin) really does a lot for me and the team,” McMahon said. “He put together a great game plan for this game and we executed.”

The game started out with an exchange of baskets that left the game tied 6-6, before Edison State seized control.

“Sometimes we start out a little slow,” McMahon said. “And then we pick it up.”

And it was Whitney Staggs playing with a lot of energy at both ends.

“She really did,” McMahon said. “She was going going hard to the boards and running down the court (on the fastbreak) like a deer. I wouldn’t want to step in front of her.”

She had two baskets and an assist to help Edison take a 14-8 lead they never relinquished.

Terra State was still within 20-14, before the Chargers finished the quarter with eight straight points.

Allison Siefring scored two baskets, Kailah Johnson scored one and Rylie McIver closed the quarter with two free throws to make it 28-14.

All five Edison starters scored at least seven points, with four in double figures.

“It really was everybody,” McMahon said. “They all contributed. When we going like that, we are hard to stop.”

The Chargers never let the Titans back into the game.

Edison State pushed the lead to 48-26 at halftime and 78-31 after three quarters.

“I thought we played a lot better defense in the third quarter,” McMahon said.

One play in the third quarter, showed the heady play of the Chargers.

With less than two seconds on the shot clock, Maddy Bakosh was inbounding the ball under the basket.

Staggs signaled her before the play, broke outside, then broke back across the paint, caught the lob and beat the shot clock for two points.

Kailah Johnson had 26 points and six rebounds to lead the Chargers cause.

Staggs had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Siefring had 17 points and seven rebounds and Bakosh added 13 points and eight assists.

Audra Schaub scored seven points, while Nia Johnson scored eight points off the bench.

Destinee White led Terra State with 18 points, Dajah Smith scored 12 points and Myah Goodman and Kris O’Larry had 10 points each.

Ashley Hisle scored eight points, Olivia Howard had six points and four assists and Tahsja Jackson grabbed six rebounds.

Edison State was 35 of 71 from the floor for 49 percent, including one of nine from 3-point range for 11 percent. The Chargers made 22 of 30 free throws for 73 percent.

Terra State was 27 of 68 from the floor for 40 percent, including five 17 from long range for 29 percent. The Titans made seven of eight free throws for 88 percent.

Edison won the battle of the boards 48-35 and had just four turnovers to Terra State’s 10.

Now comes the biggest game of the year.

“That’s going to be a tough game,” McMahon said. “I wouldn’t say they took us to the wire (last Saturday), but we had to make some plays down the stretch.”

And once again, you be sure the Edison State gym will be rocking.