Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey Head coach Sierra Beaver and the Frewsburg Bears went 21-4 this season, including the program’s first Far West Regional title and appearance in the NYSPHSAA final four.

Frewsburg had never been to a New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four prior to this season.

The Bears had reached the Far West Regional three times since 2010, but each time came up short against a Section V foe.

Just two years ago, Teghan Trocki, Ava Jimerson and Taytum Jimerson were freshmen when head coach Jeff Collver took Frewsburg to the 2022 state quarterfinal against East Rochester at Rush-Henrietta High School.

In the end, the Bombers made plays late that day to advance to the state semifinals and send the Bears home.

Fast-forward two years and it was Frewsburg making the big plays.

Now a junior, Teghan Trocki banked in a 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of the third quarter, and the Bears outscored Dundee/Bradford by eight over the final eight minutes to claim their first Far West Regional and first appearance in the state final four.

The Jimersons and Trockis were Frewsburg’s top players all season long.

Jadyn Trocki, a freshman, was named the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 East Player of the Year, while Teghan Trocki was named to the league’s First Team, Ava Jimerson was named to the Second Team and Taytum Jimerson received Honorable Mention. Senior Paige Whippo also received Honorable Mention.

With high hopes, head coach Sierra Beaver scheduled a tough nonleague slate.

The Bears opened with a 48-point win over eventual Section VI Class B2 finalist Wilson, then beat Class D champion Panama by 46 and overall Class B champion Southwestern by 10.

A two-game losing streak to Class AA Hamburg and eventual Class AAA champion Lancaster did nothing to deter the Bears, who rattled off 14 straight wins before losing to Randolph in their final regular-season game of the year to share the CCAA Division 1 East title.

Frewsburg rebounded nicely with a 25-point victory over Cassadaga Valley in the sectional quarterfinals before exacting revenge against Randolph in the semifinals at Jamestown Community College with a 17-point victory.

A coronation against Ellicottville in the sectional final ensued as the Bears coasted to a 71-36 win for their sixth sectional championship.

A week later, their Far West Regional win sent them to Troy for the NYSPHSAA Class C final four.

Frewsburg certainly belonged in the Capital Region.

The Bears were tied with Duanesburg – which reached the state semifinals two years earlier – after one quarter, but a poor second quarter allowed the Eagles to lead by nine at halftime.

Still, Frewsburg hung around and eventually tied the game at 48-all on a Taytum Jimerson 3-pointer and an Abery Harvey bucket early in the fourth quarter.

But Duanesburg built its lead back to six before Jadyn Trocki converted a three-point play with 1:02 left in the game. The Bears had a pair of looks at tying 3-pointers in the dying seconds, but were unable to convert and the Eagles escaped with the win.

Regardless of the outcome of the final game, Frewsburg put together a season to remember.

And in charge of it all was second-year head coach Sierra Beaver, who is this year’s OBSERVER/Post-Journal Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.