When it happens against the No. 3 team in the state, in the playoffs, it can spell the end of a season.

Cassadaga Valley found out the hard way Friday evening.

Third-seeded Frewsburg went up 8-0 before the sixth-seeded Cougars could blink, eventually led 15-0, and excited the first quarter with a 23-10 advantage on its way to a 70-50 victory in a Section VI Class C quarterfinal at Frewsburg Middle/High School.

“We had an emphasis on playing with intensity and trying to get turnovers defensively,” Frewsburg head coach Sierra Beaver said of her team’s fast start.

Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey At right, tTHarvey shoots over the Cougars’ Aliyah Hopkins.

“It killed us. You saw how (upset) I got. We went over it and went over it. We talked about it. It’s just the difference in ball skills,” Cassadaga Valley head coach Al Roller said of his team’s start. ” … It’s a lot of pressure.”

The win sends the Bears into a 7 p.m. semifinal matchup fans all over Western New York and even some across the state have been waiting for Wednesday when they take on No. 2 Randolph — the state’s sixth-ranked team — at Jamestown Community College’s Physical Education Complex.

“We were in the hardest league in the state. I still say us three are the best three teams in Class C,” Roller said of his team, the Bears and Randolph. “We’re all on the same side and none of us get to enjoy playing each other in the championship. It’s ridiculous.”

First, Frewsburg had work to do on Friday. Despite leading by 13 after eight minutes, a cold-shooting second quarter — the Bears were just 4 of 17 — kept that lead at just 13 at halftime.

“I think we’ve had stretches this year where we just struggle, not necessarily to get great looks, but we struggle to put the ball in the hoop,” Beaver said. ” … Even when shots aren’t falling we have to get to the foul line or get to the rim.”

Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey Frewsburg’s Jadyn Trocki looks to the basket while being defended by Cassadaga Valley’s Aliyah Hopkins.

When the Cougars — the state’s 16th-ranked team — scored the first 6 points of the third quarter, Frewsburg looked like it might be in trouble.

But that simply wasn’t the case. Abery Harvey scored buckets around a Taytum Jimerson basket for a mini 6-0 run, then Ava Jimerson hit a 3-pointer and Teghan Trocki drilled two more as the Bears’ lead quickly ballooned up to 18.

“She’s been shooting the ball well the last three games,” Beaver said of Teghan Trocki. “She just needs to continue to move offensively and find those holes so as Ava, Taytum and Jadyn drive to the basket they’re able to find her for a shot.”

Ava Jimerson hit another 3-pointer to close the third quarter as Frewsburg took a 17-point advantage into the final eight minutes. All told in the third, the Bears went 9 of 15 from the field, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

“We can play with anybody, it’s just mental mistakes,” Roller said. ” … It’s just experience and maturity.”

Frewsburg scored on its first two trips of the fourth quarter and for all intents and purposes the game was over.

Ava Jimerson led the Bears with 19 points and eight rebounds to go along with four steals; Teghan Trocki had 17 points, including five 3-pointers, and Jadyn Trocki had 15 points, 12 assists and seven steals.

In their final games for the Cougars, Emiley Anderson had 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Aliyah Hopkins had 19 points and nine rebounds.

Now the Bears will have four days to prepare for a third meeting this season with Randolph in what many believe could be a state championship-level atmosphere at Jamestown CC. The Cardinals won 59-50 on Jan. 14 in Randolph, while the Bears won 49-47 on Feb. 3 in Frewsburg.

“We have some things that we are going to work on. We are going to fine tune a few things that I felt like against Randolph the first two times we could’ve done better,” Beaver said. “I think the second time we played them, we did a much better job with our gaps on defense.”

NOTES: Taytum Jimerson had seven assists and six rebounds, while Harvey had 10 points and five rebounds for Frewsburg, which shot 27 of 68 from the field, including 10 of 30 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 11 times. … Breonna Hopkins had six rebounds and two assists for Cassadaga Valley, which shot 18 of 45 from the field, including 2 of 14 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 23 times. … Anderson, Cassadaga Valley’s all-time leading scorer, finished her career with 1,696 points.

CASSADAGA VALLEY (50)

Debo 0 0 0, Meder 2 0 4, Pattyson 1 0 3, EAnderson 6 8 20, AHopkins 8 3 19, BHopkins 1 1 4, HAnderson 0 0 0. Totals 18 12 50.

FREWSBURG (70)

JTrocki 6 0 15, TTrocki 5 2 17, JJimerson 0 0 0, TJimerson 3 0 6, Cappa 1 1 3, Reale 0 0 0, Harvey 4 2 10, AJimerson 8 1 19, Gruber 0 0 0. Totals 27 6 70.

3-point goals–Pattyson, BHopkins, JTrocki 3, TTrocki 5, AJimerson 2.

Cassadaga Valley 10 9 18 13 — 50

Frewsburg 23 9 22 16 — 70