FPD defenders pressure Bethlehem Christian’s Titan Sapp (22) during the Vikings’ win over the Knights Tuesday night. Photo by Jason Vorhees / The Melody

The suspense that typically awaits coaches before a high school game is usually enough to push the blood pressure up.

Throw in maybe a team’s best game of the year only four days earlier — and most of the team unavailable for any practices until the gameday walk-through — and Doug Wasden’s worries were understandable.

And, as it turns out, a waste of stress.

FPD more than responded following last week’s region tournament championship loss and steamrolled Bethlehem Christian from the start en route to a 59-26 win Tuesday in the first round of the GIAA girls Class 4A state tournament.

“I was watching game film all weekend,” Wasden said. “They’re aggressive, they shoot the ball well, they drive the ball well. I told the girls and the coaches, ‘This game scares me.’”

Indeed, the contest had “trap game” written all over it.

“It did,” Wasden said. “On top of that, we were off (school Monday) and off today. We just don’t do as well … I’d rather be in school.”

None of Wasden’s nightmare scenarios came close to making an appearance on Tuesday as FPD won its fifth game by at least 30 points, needing only 70 minutes to advance with a 17-11 record while the Knights finished the year 10-16, having set a program mark for wins.

FPD’s Bowen Matthews (14) puts up a shot during the Vikings’ first round GIAA playoff win over Bethlehem Christian Tuesday night. Photo by Jason Vorhees / The Melody

The Vikings will head just up the road for the second round, taking on George Walton on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Stratford.

The quarterfinal rounds for boys and girls, Friday and Saturday, are at Stratford, FPD, and Tattnall, with semifinals and finals at Columbus State.

FPD’s first gathering after Friday’s 74-70 overtime loss to Stratford in the region tournament finale included about half of the team on Monday, the other half on a school trip.

Then came Tuesday’s walk-through. Not a bit of sluggishness followed.

FPD had a shutout until Sadie Green got one of the Knights’ few good looks of the first eight minutes, and dropped a 23-footer to cut the deficit to 9-3 with 1:50 left in the quarter.

FPD’s Elcee Leslein (10) puts up a shot during the Vikings’ first round GIAA playoff win over Bethlehem Christian Tuesday night. Photo by Jason Vorhees / The Melody

The visitors then resumed the drought and ended the first with an air ball on an open 13-footer, trailing 13-3.

The margin could’ve been more had the Vikings not missed a chunk of close shots in the paint, finishing 5 of 17 from the floor.

Of course, Bethlehem Christian countered with a 1-for-9 opening quarter.

The Knights started finding a little groove after the deficit grew to 21-5, scoring on two straight possessions for the first time, coinciding with some rugged Vikings play on four empty possessions.

But just like that, FPD got going again with Morgann Ford’s bucket low and Matthews’ runner.

Still, FPD managed only four points in the final 4:19, and led 25-9 at the break.

FPD’s Bri Crosby (20) attempts a to save the ball from going out of bounce during the Vikings’ first round GIAA playoff win over Bethlehem Christian Tuesday night. Photo by Jason Vorhees / The Melody

“We played really well in the first half, but I was not happy with our offensive result,” Wasden said. “I felt like we left a lot of points on the floor. We talked about offensive rebounds, or possessions, and we needed more rebounds.

“Defense was really good.”

Green had all but two of Bethlehem Christian’s points, while Bowen Matthews had almost half of the Vikings’ with 12.

The second half was more of the same, after a sluggish start with three straight one-and-dones. FPD then scored on four consecutive trips, two buckets from Elcee Leslein, for a 33-9 lead with just less than five minutes left in the third quarter.

Wasden started substituting more late in the third, and it was 40-15 after three.

Matthews finished with 25 points, with nine each from Leslein and Hannah Strange.

It was certainly a night Wasden didn’t expect but was thrilled to see.

“I like the fact that we came out with some intensity and urgency,” he said. “Something I push all the time is we’ve got to play the beginning like we’re down 10 with two minutes left.

“And just know this was going to be our absolute last game in this gym this year, my seniors, you just don’t know. We came out and were effective.”