Chambersburg Coach Shreffler Achieves 400th Win in a Dynamic Match Against State College

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The Chambersburg Trojans (12-4) faced the State College Little Lions (8-9) on Monday at 7:30 p.m. It was a night to celebrate for the Trojans, winning the game with an extensive 18-point lead.

The game started fast-paced with movement on all sides of the court. The first point was scored by JJ Kelly, one of the big names of the match. The Ohio University commit’s two-way ability led his team to the win.

“I’d say I played a pretty solid game,” Kelly said. “I think I made 14 inside the paint. I distributed the ball pretty well. I think I had a pretty solid game, helping my team win.”

The defense from both sides of the court came prepared to support through their opponent's pressure. However, even with the crowd and student section supporting the home team, Chambersburg’s bench drove the team forward from the jump ball.

“It's cool the way they both support each other. Our bench is always into the game no matter what,” Coach Shreffler said. “If they have an opportunity to play significant minutes, our starters are their number one cheerleader. They're all about it and hype when they do well. It's a great culture that our guys have created.”

The Little Lions committed the first foul of the match after the Trojans opened a lead that remained till the end. Chambersburg gained from the turnovers and errors committed by State College players.

The Little Lions remained down by seven points to the end of the first quarter, 17-10.

After the small break between the periods, an approach shift for the Little Lions was clear. However, the defensive power of their opponent remained superior. The Trojans’ defense did not allow State College to move, getting its athletes stuck in strategic places on the court and making rushed plays.

Kelly came from middle-court to dunk, causing the Little Lions’ coach to ask for a time out.

“I got the steal and my legs were a little tired from playing defense,” Kelly said. “I knew I had to get in front of him, so I tried to speed up and get in front of him, so he couldn't get a tip or foul me. And then it was just one-two. It was up from there back-and-forth for the remaining minutes, but maintaining mostly a 10-point difference on the scoreboard.”

The teams got to the locker room for intermission with a score of 31-17 in favor of the Trojans.

The Little Lions changed their strategy coming back from halftime. Mostly led by Charlie Yartz and Ty Salazer, the team shifted the momentum by being more agile and understanding the play-making from Chambersburg.

However, the Trojans kept a strong stance, gaining the necessary balls to maintain dominance until the end of the third quarter, 48-33.

“We've got some really good senior leaders and experienced leaders on the team. I thought at that moment we were locked in at the defensive end of the floor,” Coach Shreffler said. “Some of the stops that we got defensively led to some easy buckets offensively, and we were able to create that separation.”

The fourth quarter continued with a dominance from the Trojans, confirming Chamberburg’s win.

The final score was 62-44. This win was even more special for Chambersburg staff and players as Coach Shreffler achieved his 400th victory that night.

Sofia Miranda is a first-year majoring in journalism and criminology. To contact her, email szc6483@psu.edu.