Roanoke Catholic’s girls basketball team can take two pieces of good news away from its 47-40 season-ending loss to Tidewater Academy — young players will be a year older next season, and they will not have to play Cary Beahm again.

Beahm scored 30 of her team’s 47 points, allowing the Warriors to pull away in the fourth quarter for the quarterfinal victory in the Virginia Independent Schools Division III tournament. Her effort was just a point off her career best of 31, which also came against Catholic in a playoff game a year ago.

Catholic coach Scott Smith said he knew what to expect, but Beahm is a year older, stronger and more mature this season, making her even tougher to guard.

”We threw two or three players at her, but you don’t score 2,000 points in a career unless you’re really good,” Smith said of Beahm, who crossed the 2,000-point threshold last week and averaged 20.4 ppg this season.

Tidewater coach Ashley Brock said she was correct in her pregame assessment that the teams would be evenly matched. The difference was effectiveness at the free-throw line down the stretch. The Warriors made seven of eight in the fourth quarter.

“Free throws is what won that game,” Brock said. “Making seven in the fourth and that’s the difference in the game, seven points. I couldn’t have asked them to do any better.”

The seven free throws were the last seven points in the game.

For the Celtics (21-8), close games are unfamiliar territory, Smith said.

”We didn’t have a game this season closer than 15. A lot of the games we win by 30 or we lose by 30. We don’t have seven-point games,” Smith said. “Immaturity hurt us, knowing when to shoot and when to hold back.”

Entering the fourth quarter tied at 32, the Celtics could not match the Warriors in poise. Shot selection suffered as Catholic made only three of 15, although most were deep attempts while trying to close the deficit.

The loss overshadowed a great game for freshman Gabby McClelland , who led the Celtics with 18 points and gathered 14 rebounds.

”Gabby’s a superstar, but she’s better at soccer than she is at basketball.” Smith said.

Mairin Guilfoyle , the only senior starter, had nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the Celtics. The rest of the Catholic starters were freshmen or sophomores.

Neither team had a non starter mark the score sheet.

The Warriors (21-8) will make their first-ever appearance in the state semifinals, Brock said.

TIDEWATER ACADEMY (21-8)

Beahm 11 8-11 30, Taylor 2 0-0 4, Dunn 1 0-0 2, Pruitt 3 2-2 8, Williams 0 3-4 3, O’Gara 0 0-0 0, Montgomery 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 13-17 47.

ROANOKE CATHOLIC (21-8)

Guilfoyle 4 1-2 9, McClelland 5 8-12 18, Clark 2 0-1 5, McAllister 2 1-3 5, Cullum 1 0-0 3, Poff 0 0-0 0, LeDonne 0 0-0 0, Secamiglio 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 10-18 40.

Tidewater Academy 10 9 13 15—47

Roanoke Catholic 11 9 12 8—40

3-point-goals — Tidewater Academy 0, Roanoke Catholic 2 (Clark, Cullum). Total fouls — Tidewater Academy 12, Roanoke Catholic 12. Fouled out — Dunn, Guilfoyle.

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