Frewsburg, coached by Scott Stone (white hat in center), finished 12-2-3 overall and won the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 title before clinching its fifth straight Section VI Class C championship this fall. P-J file photo by Matt Spielman

Scott Stone took over the Frewsburg girls soccer program in 2018 with the intention of continuing the Bears’ strong winning tradition.

His goal for the team every year is to win a state championship.

Although the girls haven’t reached the pinnacle yet, they continue to come close.

Stone makes no excuses for Frewsburg to not play deep into the postseason.

Graduations are not an excuse.

Neither are injuries.

Every year, the Bears seem to reload with exceptionally talented girls.

This year was no different.

Despite three-time Post-Journal/OBSERVER Player of the Year Alex Hultberg graduating in 2022 and last year’s leading scorer, Ava Jimerson, coming off a serious knee injury suffered in last season’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C Far West Regional, Frewsburg was nearly as successful as it’s ever been this year.

After tying eventual Section VI Class B champion Southwestern to open the season and losing to Allegany-Limestone in their second game, the Bears rattled off nine straight wins, including a 2-0 shutout in a rematch with Southwestern in mid-September.

After a loss to Chautauqua Lake stopped Frewsburg’s 39-match Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 West winning streak, the Bears beat Maple Grove and Westfield/Brocton to clinch their fourth straight league title.

After a 0-0 tie in a playoff tuneup with Fredonia, Frewsburg exacted a bit of revenge when it topped Chautauqua Lake 2-1 in overtime of the Section VI Class C semifinals at Dunkirk High School’s Karl Hoeppner Field when junior Kealy Caflisch scored the golden goal.

Four days later, the Bears met Wilson in a rematch of the 2022 sectional final and the game went to a penalty-kick shootout tied 1-1 before Frewsburg prevailed — again on a deciding goal from Caflisch.

But the blue patch the Bears earned by beating the Lakewomen came at a cost. Starters Audrey Eckwahl, Jadyn Trocki and Aleah Bjork were lost to injuries during the sectional final and not available for the Far West Regionals a week later.

Frewsburg hung around at Caledonia-Mumford High School’s Hamilton Field, but lacking three offensive players caught up to the Bears as they fell to Holley 2-0 and their hopes of reaching their first state final four since 2009 came to an end in the quarterfinal round for the fourth time in five years.

Frewsburg had four players recognized on the league’s First Team following the season. Senior defenders Gracie Conlan (one assist) and Addison Hultberg (nine goals, three assists) led a Bears’ defense that posted six shutouts in league play. Junior Taytum Jimerson led the team with 20 goals and 15 assists, while Eckwahl had 14 goals and eight assists.

The Bears also added three players to the Second Team in Bjork, Ava Jimerson and Caflisch, as well as Molly Spontaneo and Trocki receiving honorable-mention recognition.

Despite losing a league game for the first time since 2019 and falling short of the Bears’ end goal of winning a state title, Stone may have done his best coaching job this season.

And for that, he is the 2023 Post-Journal/OBSERVER Coach of the Year.