Gwyn Panek was a role player off the bench for that title team.

Now the two share the spotlight as the Section V champions look to get back to Troy.

The Tigers made it one step closer Wednesday evening as they beat Southwestern 67-45 in the Class B subregional at Gates Chili High School.

“I don’t really think about that,” Waterloo head coach Michael Bree said about the Tigers returning to the state final four. “We don’t want to lose, we just take it a day at a time.”

Southwestern’s Jada Edwards puts up a floater between Waterloo defenders Khia Moody, left, and Gwyn Panek during a NYSPHSAA Class B subregional playoff game at Gates Chili High School on Wednesday. OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman

Bree paced Waterloo with 19 points while Panek added 17. The pair combined for 29 points during a 37-22 first half that all but sealed their spot in Saturday’s state quarterfinal at Finger Lakes Community College.

“They complement each other so well,” Coach Bree said. “Gwyn is kind of a downhill girl that gets Addison a lot of shots from the outside, but there is so much attention paid to Addison on the outside that it opens up for Gwyn in the lane.”

For a young Trojans team, the loss ended a 17-8 season that saw them split the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 championship and claim the 17th sectional title in program history.

“We’ve seen them on film. We knew coming in that they weren’t going to make a lot of turnovers,” Southwestern head coach Kay Sirianni said of the Tigers’ nine turnovers, just four of which came in the opening three quarters. “We were hoping to create more than that, but they were just the better team tonight.”

The Tigers led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, their lead growing to as many as 11 before Southwestern’s Gianna Sirianni made a basket in the closing seconds.

The Trojans closed the gap to just four as Charlotte Beaver and Sirianni hit 3-pointers early in the second quarter, but Waterloo closed the period on a 17-6 run to lead by 15 at halftime.

“They are impressive players. They were attacking the hoop and finishing strong a lot in the first half. We knew going in that they were talented players, and they definitely showed how skilled they actually are,” Coach Sirianni said of Bree and Panek. “They definitely hurt us in that first half and created a pretty big gap.”

Southwestern remained within 15 of the Tigers with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter, but Panek’s lone 3-pointer of the evening made it 50-32 with 1:38 left. Delainey Battin then made a pair of free throws with 17.1 seconds remaining to make it 52-32 entering the final eight minutes.

Jada Edwards scored 8 of the first 10 points of the fourth quarter for Southwestern as it again cut its deficit to 15, but the Trojans went 1 of 4 from the field and turned the ball over three times over their final seven possessions as Waterloo put the game away.

“When you have young players, with as much pressure as Waterloo put on us, sometimes you crack under that pressure because you’re not sure how to handle it,” Coach Sirianni said of the Trojans’ 18 turnovers.

Southwestern hopes Wednesday’s loss is just the start of a special few years in the near future. The Trojans will graduate just two seniors – only Braya Beaver played Wednesday – while bringing back three juniors, a sophomore, two freshmen and two eighth-graders.

“I’m really impressed with our young players and the team overall. Getting to sectionals was a huge accomplishment for such a young team,” Coach Sirianni said. “To be at Far West Regionals has been a dream. Maybe this will build and we’ll be even better in years to come.”

NOTES: Khia Moody chipped in 9 points for Waterloo, which shot 23 of 52 from the field, including 6 of 15 from 3-point range. … Charlotte Beaver had 16 points, six rebounds and two steals; Edwards had 10 points and four steals; and Sirianni had 9 points, four rebounds and two steals for Southwestern, which shot 13 of 50 from the field, including 7 of 25 from 3-point range.

SOUTHWESTERN (45)

Sirianni 3 1 9, Cresanti 1 4 6, Charles 0 2 2, BBeaver 0 2 2, Edwards 4 1 10, CBeaver 5 2 16, Ricker 0 0 0. Totals 13 12 45.

WATERLOO (67)

KBree 1 0 3, APanek 0 0 0, Godley 0 0 0, ABree 7 3 19 GPanek 8 0 17, Williams 2 1 6, Esquibel 1 0 3, Hawkins 2 2 6, Moody 3 3 9, Battin 1 2 4. Totals 25 11 67.

3-point goals-Sirianni 2, Edwards, CBeaver 4, KBree, ABree 2, GPanek, Williams, Esquibel.

Southwestern 10 12 10 13 – 45

Waterloo 19 18 15 15 – 67