&uot;I can get this far, but I can’t get any farther.&uot; Those were the words of Jefferson County’s girls coach Flora McKnight after her team fell to No. 15 Forest 49-38 in the semfinals of the Class 3A state tournament.

The Lady Tigers lost to Stone County in the semifinals last year.

Forest (36-2) jumped ahead of Jefferson County 17-8.

&uot;They played good defense on us,&uot; McKnight said. &uot;We just didn’t play well.&uot;

efferson County (29-7), who defeated Independence 59-48 Monday to advance to the semifinals, did not offer much of a challenge to Forest.

The Lady Bearcats jumped out to a 17-8 lead in the first quarter and held a 25-12 lead at the half. Jefferson County closed the gap by scoring 13 fourth-quarter points, but it was not enough.

Sophia Reed scored 14 points and Pandasala McClendon had 12 for Forest.

LaShonda Ford added 10. for Forest.

Shaquita Smith led Jefferson County with 18 points. Catoya Winston added 8.

Forest will play the winner of the No. 1 Yazoo County-New Albany game on Thursday at the Mississippi Coliseum.

Forest (36-2) will make its 14th appearance in a championship game and its first since winning the Class 3A title in 1994.

The Lady Bearcats were a perennial power in the 1950s and 60s, winning five championships in the two decades.