With the first big test of the season in the post Carlie Newman era, the Brandywine girls basketball team passed with flying colors.

The No. 2-ranked Bobcats held off No. 7-ranked (Class D) Mendon 51-47 in a game that lived up to its billing.

Brandywine benefited from the return of senior point guard Mackenzie Shelton. Shelton paid big dividends early on and she had the Bobcats’ offense running a bit more smoothly than it has been while she was gone.

With the game on the line, however, it was freshman Emily Erwin who stepped up and canned two clutch free throws with 8.8 seconds left to seal the victory for Brandywine.

Transfer Tammy Lee also hit a big 3-pointer with 45.1 ticks left on the clock that gave the Bobcats the lead for good.