NEW KINGSTOWN — Chambersburg was coming off its worst game of the season.

Cumberland Valley was coming off its biggest win of the year, over Harrisburg

Stanley Lozius

But while the Eagles looked very good at times, the Trojans’ defense created four turnovers and the offense perked into life at the right time to secure a 17-10 Mid Penn Commonwealth football victory at Chapman Field on Friday night.

Antonio Harrison’s touchdown on a 1-yard run with 1:36 left produced the game-winning points, but the defense set up that scoring chance on an interception by Brycen Murray. Chambersburg (4-5, 3-5 MPC), has won three of its last four games, with the stinker against Altoona last week the only misstep.

“When is the last time a Chambersburg team had a chance to win, turned the ball over, but still came back, made a play and won the game?” Trojan coach Mark Luther asked.

Here’s how the dramatic fourth quarter went down:

Chambersburg took over on its own 20 with 7:20 left in a 10-10 tie game. To that point in the second half, the Trojans had no first downs in four possessions.

But QB Ceagan Truett got into a rhythm and completed five straight passes to reach the Eagle 34. On 3rd-and-3, however, Truett underthrew his man on a post route and CV’s Ke’Aune Green picked off the pass at the 10.

Evan Brown

On the very next play, Cumberland Valley quarterback Grant Shepley threw a pass over the middle that Murray dove for and caught for an interception at the 27.

Murray said, “I really thought they might be trying to run a slant, and I could see the quarterback’s eyes were right on my guy. So I just timed it right and caught the ball.”

The Trojans were borderline in field goal range for Trever Luther already, but coach Luther wanted a touchdown. Harrison, who had been held to 10 yards on 14 carries to that point, scooted for 15 yards to the CV 10, then got 6 more. His next carry got to the 3 and an Eagles’ face mask penalty moved it just outside the 1, setting up his score.

Coach Luther said, “CV had been bringing their two inside linebackers into the A gap and causing problems for the run game. So we used a play we hadn’t called all night and the kids made it work.”

After the score, Cumberland Valley (4-5, 4-4 MPC) was able to get one first down, but Shepley was sacked by Stanley Lozius on third down, and on fourth he was pressured and threw the ball out of bounds.

“We stuck in there and fought hard,” Murray said.

Lozius said, “We were trying to get pressure on him, and I had been getting pretty close to him. They passed the ball a lot, so we knew we needed to get pressure and I think we did a good job of covering in the second half.”

Luther said, “We put Stanley and Seth (Gilliam) on the edge against their tackles and they did get some pressure.”

Shepley opened the game by completing his first 11 passes. It took the Eagles just four plays to score a touchdown, on a 23-yard pass to Elijah Sherman.

Chambersburg got those points back late in the first period when Truett waited until Evan Brown made his move past a defender and hit him in stride for a 68-yard TD strike to make it 7-7.

The Trojans took a 10-7 lead into halftime after the defense set them up again. Dylan Panfili came from Shepley’s blind side for a sack and a caused fumble. Lozius picked up the loose ball and got to the CV 4. The Eagles, however, played tough and Luther had to kick a 20-yard field goal.

Lozius said, “I got the scoop, and I was hoping I could score with it.”

CV was thwarted on two chances when Jason Chambers picked off Shepley in the end zone, and Murray made his first pick at the Trojan 1 just before halftime.

“I saw the quarterback just throw it up, and I had the perfect coverage,” Murray said.

In the third period, CV drove down the field and had a first-and-goal at the Chambersburg 7. But on the next three plays, Brown tackled Nolan Buzalka for no gain on a completion, Lozius stopped Brody Pines for no gain and Lozius got pressure to cause a Shepley incomplete pass. The Eagles had to settle for a tying field goal by Andrew Rice.

Coach Luther said, “Tonight we made some plays and wont he game. Last week, we didn’t make plays and lost. I am proud of the kids because it’s been 6 long months and after last week, they could have become complacent.

“And then when CV went right down and scored on the first possession … But we came back. That touchdown pass (Truett to Brown) was really big — it tied the game and changed momentum.”

NOTES: Brown caught 4 passes for 109 yards and Luther grabbed 7 for 48 … The Trojans mustered only 2 first downs until midway through the fourth quarter … Chambersburg hosts Central Dauphin on Friday.

Chambersburg 17, Cumberland Valley 10
Chambersburg                  7     3     0     7     —     17
Cumberland Valley          7     0     3     0     —     10
First Quarter
CV — Elijah Sherman 23 pass from Grant Shepley (Andrew Rice kick), 9:39
Ch — Evan Brown 68 pass from Ceagan Truett (Trever Luther kick), 1:04
Second Quarter
Ch — Luther 20 field goal, 2:22
Third Quarter
CV — Rice 24 field goal, 5:08
Fourth Quarter
Ch — Antonio Harrison 1 run (Luther kick), 1:36
Team Statistics
                                                     Chbg                 CV
First downs                                   9                     14
Rushes-yards                             27-27              26-40
Passing                                      11-15-2           21-33-3
Passing yards                              157                  202
Total offense                                184                 242
Punts-average                           4-35.5              3-34.3
Fumbles-lost                                1-0                  1-1
Penalties-yards                           5-45                5-42
Individual Statistics
Rushing — Chbg, Harrison 18-33, Imani Watson 4-5, Stanley Lozius 1-1, Truett 4-(-12). CV, Brody Pines 17-58, Erik Barbacci 3-4, Sherman 2-1, Shepley 4-(-23).
Passing — Chbg, Truett 15-11-3-157. CV, Shepley 33-21-3-202.
Receiving — Chbg, Brown 4-109, Luther 7-48. CV, Sherman 5-62, Pines 7-51, Zayden Smith 1-37, Ke’Aune Green 3-32, Nolan Buzalka 5-20.
Interceptions — Chbg, Brycen Murray 2, Jason Chambers. CV, Sherman, Green.