The Hornets will play for one Saturday.

Carilene Sliwa scored 29 points to go along with eight rebounds and five steals as No. 3 Forestville beat No. 2 Franklinville 49-35 in a Class D sectional semifinal Wednesday at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex.

“She’s very important to our success, but tonight she passed the ball off and really reached out to her teammates,” Forestville head coach Lisa Szumigala said of Sliwa, the school’s all-time leading scorer — boy or girl — in basketball. “She’s important, but it’s the other four with her that make her shine. Tonight she let them step up.”

To win the second title in program history and first since 1979, the Hornets will have to knock off the defending champs back at JCC this weekend. No. 4 Sherman beat No. 1 Panama 46-37 in Wednesday evening’s first semifinal.

Forestville’s Elizabeth Case puts up a shot during Wednesday’s Section VI Class D semifinal against Franklinville at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex. Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey

“I’m excited to play them. They are a good team,” Szumigala said of the Wildcats. “We’ve faced them in the past. I know it’s going to be a battle. Sherman is really good. I’m just excited to get to the next step.”

Forestville took advantage of 30 Franklinville turnovers, turning them into 20 points at the other end of the floor.

“I studied them a lot and looked for their weaknesses. I knew they were weak in a man defense, watching other film,” Szumigala said. “We’ve just been practicing man. We put in new plays that nobody has even seen.”

The Hornets led 7-4 after a sloppy first quarter that saw the teams combine for 15 turnovers and make just four field goals.

In the second quarter, McKenzie Chase gave the Panthers their only lead of the game at 11-10 with 5:20 remaining, but Elizabeth Case scored 20 seconds later at the other end of the floor.

The Hornets’ Chymerah Genevese has her shot challenged by the Panthers’ Carlie Aultman. Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey

Forestville would never trail again.

The lead grew to 10 late in the second quarter before Franklinville’s Grace Cornell scored just before the halftime buzzer to make it 22-14.

The Hornets’ lead grew to as many as 14 on a basket by Ingrid Gibson late in the third quarter before Chase scored the final two field goals of the period to make it a 10-point game with eight minutes remaining.

Forestville opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run that included Sliwa knocking down a pair of free throws after a flagrant foul. A Cornell 3-pointer cut the Panthers’ deficit to 13, but they would get no closer the rest of the way.

“They’re very excited. They’ve never been this far in basketball,” Szumigala said. “We’ve worked hard all year long to get here. They give everything they have on the court. … I’m very proud of them.”

NOTES: Gibson had 8 points while Case had 7 points, six steals and four rebounds for Forestville, which shot 16 of 43 from the field, including 2 of 12 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 18 times. … McKenzie Chase had 14 points and Taylor Chase had 7 for Franklinville, which shot 15 of 51 from the field, including 1 of 14 from 3-point range.

FORESTVILLE (49)

Sliwa 10 8 29, Genevese 1 0 3, Valentine 0 0 0, IGibson 2 4 8, Bertino 1 0 2, Gruber 0 0 0, Hall 0 0 0, Lillie 0 0 0, RGibson 0 0 0, Case 2 3 7. Totals 16 15 49.

FRANKLINVILLE (35)

Green 0 0 0, TChase 3 1 7, Cornell 2 0 5, Sullivan 1 0 2, Chamberlain 0 0 0, Herman 0 0 0, Aultman 1 0 2, Hopkins 0 0 0, Spittler 1 1 3, Range 1 0 2, MChase 6 2 14, Knobloch 0 0 0. Totals 15 4 35.

3-point goals–Sliwa, Genevese, Cornell.

Forestville 7 15 12 15 — 49

Franklinville 4 10 10 11 — 35