It’s safe to say that the nerves for a moment like that were quite high.

Well almost all of those same girls return today for a second shot at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C championships and now they know exactly what to expect.

“The first time you do anything is always nervewracking,” Frewsburg head coach Sierra Beaver said about heading back to states after the Far West Regional win. “Last year we got there and you walk out onto that court and there’s all the cameras there and it’s tough mentally to not get nervous. This time I think we’ll be a little bit more calm, we know what to expect and we’ve been scouting the teams that we think will make it through.”

In the 2024 semifinal, Frewsburg was outscored 16-7 in the second quarter and trailed 30-21 at halftime. That uncharacteristically slow quarter proved to be the demise of the Bears even after a strong final period as they lost 54-51.

Frewsburg sophomore Jadyn Trocki returns to the NYSPHSAA Class C state championships tonight against Section I’s Tuckahoe at Hudson Valley CC. P-J photo by Christian Storms

“We talk about all the time that 10 points don’t mean anything,” Beaver said about the mindset returning to states. “Continuing to try and win every quarter and continuing to make adjustments every quarter so we come out on top.”

However, this year the Bears come into tonight’s Class C state semifinal at 7:45 at Hudson Valley Community College against Section I’s Tuckahoe battle tested and ready for everything that comes with playing on the big stage.

“We’re excited to be back at the final four again this year,” Beaver added. “We’re hoping to come out to play with a lot of intensity and do whatever we can to get into the finals.”

Frewsburg enters the tournament as the No. 2 team in the state and it’s for good reason having spent plenty of the year in the top spot. The Bears have a balanced attack which could see up to five different girls even score double digits and is provided at multiple levels.

“We always talk about if we’re a one-dimensional team we’re easier to defend,” Beaver said about the Frewsburg offense after clinching a spot at states. “We pride ourselves on having a lot of people that can score all the time. It’s hard to stop five people that can score in double-figures, so when you don’t know who to guard, that makes things tough and that’s our goal.”

The main cog to Frewsburg’s offense is sophomore Jadyn Trocki, who averages 17.7 points per game and picks up 6.5 assists per game as she makes sure her opponents have to worry about everyone on the floor.

When Jadyn Trocki is heating up from beyond the arc she is often joined by her sharpshooting sister Teghan Trocki who averages 11.5 per game, including 74 3-pointers this season.

“Jadyn always does a great job finding people,” Beaver said about the Trocki sisters after the Far West Regional victory. “She’s really good at beating her defender, making somebody step up and then being able to dish for a shot in the corner and her sister is a counterpart to that. She (Teghan) is the one who can knock down shots from anywhere and when we get her going it’s pretty hard to stop us.”

Twin sisters Ava and Taytum Jimerson give Frewsburg another family threat on the floor that provides plenty of offense, but also are key pieces to a defense that limits opponents to 43.6 points per game this season.

“They both are super important offensively and defensively,” Beaver said about the Trockis. “They do a good job talking and communicating on defense. Offensively they are kind of exact opposites, if they stop Jadyn then she kicks it out to Teghan and if they cover Teghan, Jadyn has a lane to drive it. While that’s happening, Ava, Taytum and Abery are cutting to the basket too.”

The defense thrives on athleticism and both Jadyn Trocki and Taytum Jimerson find no trouble pickpocketing their opponents 4.6 and 3 steals per game, respectively.

“Defense was our big focus coming into the year,” Beaver said about her team. “We thought defense was what kept us from getting into the final last year. … It’s just about having good communication and having each other’s backs and making sure we’re playing good team defense all the time.”

After emerging late in the season last year as a sophomore, Harvey gives the Bears a formidable 1-2 punch on the glass with Ava Jimerson. Harvey averages 9.6 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game, while Ava Jimerson provides 14 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Then coming off the bench the Bears have several girls that can step in and make sure the tempo is not dropped and the defense does not miss a beat.

“We talk all the time it takes five on the floor, but it takes people at practice working us all season long,” Beaver said about her team’s depth. “If we get people in foul trouble we have multiple people who can come off the bench and not even notice a difference in the flow of the game.”

Tuckahoe also returns to the state final four after experiencing a similar trip last year in which the Tigers lost to eventual state champion Moravia of Section IV 54-42.

The Tigers reached the state final four with a Section I Class C semifinal win against Keio Academy and then in the final they defeated Haldane 50-29. In their regional matchup, the Tigers dominated the Section IX champion Pine Plains Bombers 59-25.

“They’re really fast,” Beaver said about Tuckahoe. “They play hard with intensity, they like to push the ball and they love to press all game long. It’s important for us to protect the ball and prevent those turnovers.”

Sophomore Cara Doherty paced the Tigers in their regional matchup with a team-high 9 points, but Tuckahoe dominated with a complete team effort. Freshman Chloe Angello was also named All-Section team for Section I and is a player the Bears will have to focus on.

If Frewsburg can reach the finals the Bears will either play the state’s top-ranked Stillwater out of Section II or Section III’s Cooperstown, which is ranked No. 3 in Class C.

“Watching a little film on both of them,” Beaver said about Stillwater and Cooperstown. “I think both are really good, Cooperstown is a little younger and Stillwater I think is very well rounded with five as a threat to score. Both of those teams do a nice job of playing defense.”

Stillwater is having the best season in program history, capturing its first Section II title and then winning against Section X’s Lisbon Central last week to advance to the program’s first state semifinals.

The Warriors overcame the odds in their sectional final when they beat Greenwich, which has delivered Stillwater its only two losses this season and both by a 20-point margin. Stillwater won the third meeting 49-42 and then reached states with the 49-45 win over Lisbon Central.

Cooperstown is the only team in the remaining field of four that has won the Class C state championship, claiming the title a decade ago against Section VIII’s Northern Adirondack 59-34.

Cooperstown is led by seventh-grader Emma Johnson scoring 14.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game with 58 triples on the year; senior Brenna Seamon averages 10.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4.3 steals per game.

The final four Class C teams are all formidable opponents, but the Bears will come in battle tested after going through a grueling nonleague schedule which included victories over teams heading to states today in even higher classes. The Bears defeated the Madison Francis-led Lancaster Legends 68-43 who are representing Section VI in Class AAA, they also defeated Section VI Class A champion Williamsville South 82-71 and even took on 2024 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A runnerup Cathedral Prep in two close contests.

“We tried hard to make nonleague schedule really difficult,” Beaver said. “From top to bottom we had a good schedule planned for us against different styles of basketball. We had to guard people fast and tall, but also teams to prepare us for the whole 32 minutes.”

With Section IV’s Moravia falling in its sectional playoffs this season, one thing is for certain that there will be a new state champion crowned by Friday evening and all teams have that chance starting tonight at 6 with Stillwater and Cooperstown at Hudson Valley Community College. For live updates follow along on x.com @Chris__Storms.