Jaiden Gladney puts up a shot against Briar Woods High School on Friday night. David Pennock

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — When Jefferson’s season ended last year, with a 65-48 loss to George Washington in the newly-minted Class AAAA version of the state tournament, it culminated a circuitous journey through a pandemic, through a first-ever Class AAAA trek and the first time a Jefferson team had seen a state tournament in many years.

Playing dates had been lost. There had been enough success against Sectional opponents Washington and Musselman and a reward to surviving the disjointed season with a state tournament destination.

And now it’s on to the 2021-2022 season, with the COVID-19 Pandemic still raging, the Class AAAA format still in place and the necessity of beating both Washington and Musselman in place.

Returning from last season’s state tournament team are starting point guard Daion Taylor and experienced scorer Will Shively.

Taylor and Will Shively have been joined by sophomore Wyatt Shively, senior Cameron Johnson, sophomore Jaiden Gladney and freshman Jamari Jenkins, as the nucleus of the 2021-2022 team.

Cameron Johnson maneuvers for a shot in Jefferson’s 70-65 win against Briar Woods on Friday night. David Pennock

Those six players have been the leading scorers and have seen the most playing time as the Cougars have edged Hurricane (74-71) and Briar Woods (70-65) in their first two games.

Taylor has been a guiding force, since his sophomore year, and Will Shively played his way into the starting lineup back when he was a freshman.

Providing depth for coach Richard Lewis will be senior Bryson Fleming, sophomore Jared Wilberger, senior Darion Massenburg, senior David Haines, sophomore Adonis Troxell and sophomore Kylan Johnson.

The state of West Virginia has moved to a four-class format, to give schools with mid-sized enrollment numbers more of a chance to reach all the way to the state tournament.

Whereas Hampshire was once placed in the same Class AAA Region as Jefferson, Washington, Musselman, Martinsburg, Spring Mills and Hedgesville, it is now in the same Class AAA bracket, and all the others have moved ahead to the Class AAAA bracket.

Jefferson High School freshman Jamari Jenkins drives the lane during the first half of Friday night’s winning home game against Briar Woods High School. David Pennock

In Jefferson’s Sectional are only Washington and Musselman, with Martinsburg, Spring Mills and Hedgesville placed in the other Section of Region II.

Even with games being cancelled at times last season, the Cougars finished with an 11-5 record and then enjoyed a novel trip to Charleston’s Class AAAA state tournament, with seven other teams. The season-ending loss to George Washington came in the opening round of the state event.

Martinsburg was the other Region II representative in the Class AAAA state tournament in Charleston.

Jefferson had eliminated Hedgesville to qualify for the big-school state tournament.

Other than the large-attendance area schools, Jefferson’s schedule includes dates with Bridgeport, Millbrook, Riverdale Baptist (Md.), Hampshire, Greenbrier East (twice), Buckhannon and Broadfording Christian Academy (Md.).

Charleston beckons at the end of the regular season. Can the Cougars tame enough of the area teams to qualify for the trip back to the Class AAAA state tournament?