Forestview girls coast to third straight regional final

GREENSBORO — Another playoff win down. Two to go.

Forestview rolled to its fourth straight blowout this postseason, beating Charlotte Catholic 76-52 in the 3A Western Regional semifinals Wednesday.

Shannon Smith had 29 points and seven assists and two other Jaguars scored in double figures as Forestview shook off a slow start at UNC Greensboro’s Fleming Gymnasium to reach the regional final for the third straight season.

Forestview (25-2) will play for the 3A Western Regional championship noon Saturday at the same venue against North Iredell (23-2), a 50-45 winner over Asheville Erwin. Saturday’s winner will play for the 3A state title a week later at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

Forestview will be favored again Saturday if you base such things on common opponents. North Iredell lost a pair of close games to Lake Norman, a team the Jaguars clobbered 69-48 in the season opener.

“You’ve got to play it like another game,” Smith said. “It’s a big game. We’ve got to come focused and be ready to play.”

Charlotte Catholic (25-4) was Forestview’s latest victim, as the Jaguars used a smothering defense and another standout performance from the UNC-bound Smith to take a double-digit lead in the second quarter and hold it.

Freshman Bre Armstrong turned in a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Elon recruit Kelsey Harris added 15 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and three steals.

Khadijah Joyner, Forestview’s 6-foot-2 sophomore, turned in another solid game in the post, finishing with 14 rebounds and six points. Brianna Taylor also had six points to go with four steals. And reserve center Jasmin Ellis had eight rebounds and two points.

Forestview dominated the boards, outrebounding the Cougars 54-29. The Jaguars pulled down 23 offensive rebounds and scored 20 second-chance points.

Forestview struggled with an uncharacteristic 10 turnovers in the first half but made up for them by dominating the boards.

“Overall I thought we played a little sloppy but not to take anything away from them,” Forestview coach Ken Beaty said. “They had a lot to do with that.”

Forestview led by 22 entering the final quarter but had trouble closing it out. Catholic cut it to 13 at one point before the Jaguars settled down and hit their free throws down the stretch.

“We basically had to quit rushing, and settle down a little bit,” Harris said. “We didn’t panic or anything.”

Forestview has won 18 straight, a streak dating to the Jaguars’ 55-44 setback to Huntersville Hopewell Dec. 29 in the Bojangles’ Shootout. Forestview’s other loss was a 72-62 defeat by Matthews Butler, a team playing in the 4A Western Regional tonight.

The Jaguars had won their previous three playoff games by 55, 26 and 39 points.

Colgate recruit Lauryn Kobiela led Catholic with 16 points. Ali Lane added 14 points and eight rebounds.

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.