WINSTON-SALEM — For the second consecutive season Goldsboro High School’s boys’ basketball team had its season come to an end with a loss to Farmville Central in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2-A state semifinals.

The top-seeded Jaguars (30-1) jumped out to a 35-16 halftime lead and cruised to a 74-54 victory on Wednesday night at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Farmville Central, the defending 2-A state champion, advanced to Saturday’s state championship game for the 11th time in school history, and the sixth time since 2016.

The Jaguars will face Reidsville (28-0) on Saturday in a rematch of last season’s state finals.

The Jaguars are seeking to win their fourth state title in the last five seasons while making their sixth consecutive appearance in the state finals. With the win over Goldsboro, Farmville Central earned its 23rd straight win.

Amari Lathan led the second-seeded Cougars (27-4) with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. Goldsboro’s hopes of advancing to play for a state championship were undone by 26 turnovers.

The Cougars finished the season winning eight of their last 10 games. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Goldsboro is 75-12.