CHAMBERSBURG — Gettysburg frequently seemed to be just one big play away from spoiling the season opener for Chambersburg and new head football coach Gary Carter.
But the Trojans continually shrugged off situations in which things appeared to be going the Warriors’ way and made big play after big play. It was enough to take a 27-15 victory over Gettysburg in a non-league season opener Friday night at Trojan Stadium.
Mason Mowen
“We weren’t always disciplined, but we did fight off adversity,” said a beaming Carter. “We didn’t tuck our tails even when they had all the momentum. And we had guys making big plays all over the field, and that’s what we’ve been missing.”
With 30 seconds left in the third period, Trojan quarterback Ceagan Truett made a pump fake to draw in the defenders, then hit Isaiah Tasker for a 25-yard touchdown. That duo hooked up again on a two-point conversion to make it 20-6.
But it wasn’t safe.
A fumble recovery by Arron Ward at the Chambersburg 12 stopped one Warrior drive. But the Trojans couldn’t move the ball, and when a punt snap sailed over Truett’s head into the end zone, he did the smart thing by picking it up and carrying out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
On Gettysburg’s next offensive play, Grant Johnson tossed a 35-yard bomb to Trevor Cunningham and suddenly it was 20-15 and momentum had definitely swung.
“We really shot ourselves in the foot there,” Carter said. “But we were able to make big plays at the right time.”
The Trojans drove the ball to the Warrior 6, converting a third-and 8 and a third-and-13, but fumbled it away. However, two plays later, Mason Mowen stepped in front of a Johnson pass for a crucial pick.
Facing a fourth-and-19 at Gettysburg’s 26, Carter went for it. And it worked perfectly when Truett feathered a pass right into the arms of Davonte Scott, who had only a step on his defender. That made it 27-15 with 3:46 left.
Brodie Robinson
Carter said, “Ceagan struggled a little in the first half, but he made some big throws in the second.”
An interception by Brodie Robinson at the Trojan 27 on the next series clinched it.
Chambersburg took the lead in the first period after a short punt set the Trojans up on the Gettysburg 25. Eventually, Truett pushed in from the 1.
Early in the second period, Johnson tried to hit a receiver in the left flat, but Tasker read the play perfectly, stepped in front to make the pick and waltzed in to score from 31 yards out.
Tasker said, “They kept running the same routes, so that was kind of easy to read. The coaches put me in a good position at the right time.”
Early in the third period, Tasket thought he had a TD catch of 35 yards, but the Trojans were called for having an ineligible player downfield. On their next possession, however, Truett made his nice fake and put the ball in Tasker’s hands for a big TD.
“That No. 11 (Kayden Smoker) kept biting when we’d throw a short screen pass,” Tasker said. “So that time, they sent me long — the blockers did a good job and Ceagan made a nice throw.”
Carter said, “Bill Bowen (offensive coordinator) made some good changes at halftime, and the defensive guys (Jason Small, Cameron Tinner) went back to a more basic defense and we did better in the second half. We rotated a lot of kids in and the coaching staff really pieced things together.”
Gettysburg held a 240-73 advantage in yardage in the first half, but in the latter half, the Trojans held a 181-106 margin. Chambersburg’s Malachi Tasker ended up with 67 yards on 17 carries and caught 5 balls for 48 yards.
“Malachi did some good things,” Carter said. “Scott was a real workhorse on both sides. Eli Vosburg was a force on defense.”
The defense held Gettysburg’s all-time leading carrier, Preston Burnett, to 83 yards on 25 carries and forced one fumble.
NOTES: Gettysburg began its final drive of the first half at its own 3 with 2:47 and 2 timeouts left … They used the clock well and moved all the way to the Trojan 7, with no play gaining more than 13 yards … But with a second left, a field goal try missed … Truett hit on 14 of 19 throws for 187 yards … Scott caught 5 for 89 yards … Seth Gilliam recovered a fumble for the Trojans, who host Central Dauphin East next Friday.
Chambersburg 27, Gettysburg 15
Gettysburg 0 6 0 9 — 15
Chambersburg 6 6 8 7 — 27
First Quarter
C — Ceagan Truett 1 run (kick failed), 5:32
Second Quarter
C — Isaiah Tasker 31 interception return (pass failed), 10:28
G — Preston Burnett 10 run (kick failed), 6:48
Third Quarter
C — I.Tasker 25 pass from Truett (Truett pass to I.Tasker), 0:30
Fourth Quarter
G — Safety, punt snap carried out of end zone, 9:39
G — Trevor Cunningham 35 pass from Grant Johnson (Max Rawlings kick), 9:32
C — Davonte Scott 26 pass from Truett (Ayden Sylvestre kick), 3:46
Team Statistics
Gett Chbg
First downs 19 13
Rushes-yards 36-107 36-77
Passing 18-35-3 14-19-0
Passing yards 239 187
Total offense 346 264
Fumbles 2-2 5-2
Punts-average 4-32.3 5-42.4
Penalties-yards 5-35 7-55
Individual Statistics
Rushing — Gett, Burnett 25-83, Johnson 10-19, Julius Warren 1-5. Chbg, Malachi Tasker 17-67, Nicholas Pompeii 8-18, Scott 2-(-1), Truett 9-(-7).
Passing — Gett, Johnson 18-35-3-239. Chbg, Truett 14-19-0-187.
Receiving — Gett, Cunningham 3-75, Kash Kessel 5-61, Stephen Kahler 2-29, Warren 2-26, Lincoln Kearchner 1-20, Mauricio Escobar 3-19, Burnett 2-9. Chbg, Scott 5-89, M.Tasker 5-48, I.Tasker 2-33, Cobe Penick 2-17.
Missed FG — Gett, Rawlings 15 (short).
Interceptions — Chbg, I.Tasker, Mason Mowen, Brodie Robinson.