CHAMBERSBURG — For all but the final Cumberland Valley drive of the game, the Chambersburg defense did everything it could to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard.

The Trojans created two turnovers on fumbles. They stopped CV short on four fourth-down attempts. They never let the Eagles inside the Chambersburg 29 until the final drive.

Brady Rosenberry

But on that last drive, Cumberland Valley turned to a fresh-legged burly back named Hayden Johnson and he delivered. Johnson, who had zero carries until then, ran the ball 11 times up the gut for 71 yards on CV’s 15-play, 86-yard drive for the game’s only touchdown.

Johnson’s 4-yard run with 0:26 left in the game lifted the Eagles over Chambersburg 7-0 at Trojan Stadium on Friday night in a Mid Penn Commonwealth game.

It was clearly a night for big-time defense on both sides. The teams combined for only 337 yards of offense.

Trojan coach Gary Carter said, “Our defense was tremendous and played lights out all night. But I think we beat ourselves because we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities.”

The Eagles’ drive came on the heels of Chambersburg’s best chance to score. Trojan freshman linebacker Deakon Snavely made a forcible tackle on a CV back, who lost the ball and the Trojans recovered on the Eagle 47.

On the next play, Cam Green lofted a pass down the right sideline that was hauled in by Davonte Scott at the CV 14.

However, three plays netted just 1 yard and Ayden Sylvestre was called on to try a 30-yard field goal. The kick was hit well enough, but was outside the left goal post by about 2 feet.

“I think if we had gotten even a field goal there, it would have changed the game,” Carter said.

With the game still scoreless, CV decided to insert Johnson. And his powerful runs against a tiring defense took the Eagles down the field.

But with all of Johnson’s bulldozing, the touchdown was only possible because of one play. Cumberland Valley faced a 4th-and-5 play from the Trojan 34 with over a minute left. A pass from Kameron Wolfe to Zayden Smith was broken up by the secondary.

Alas, the officials ruled that a Chambersburg back had committed holding, giving CV a first down and new life.

Carter said, “We looked at that on film, and it wasn’t even close to holding.”

Other than that dramatic finish, there were few long gainers on either side, neither team was able to move consistently (there were only 4 first downs total in the first half), and penalties ruled the day. In the first half, the teams combined for only 83 yards of offense and committed 75 yards worth of penalties.

Chambersburg was flagged 5 times for holding on offense.

“We couldn’t get out of our own way,” Carter said. “We were always in 2nd-and-long, or 3rd-and-long and there’s not many plays that will work in that situation. We could not get momentum going our way.

“We have to learn how to make big plays in a game like that and not shoot ourselves in the foot. Too many mental mistakes.”

A win by the Trojans (4-5, 3-5 MPC) may have ended up pushing them into the District 3 playoffs. Now, a victory will be required next Friday at Central Dauphin just to have a chance.

Carter said, “We dropped a touchdown pass, we overthrew another one. We had too many penalties and mistakes. We still have an opportunity next week, but we should have won this one. In a lot of ways, we played well enough to win.”

NOTES: CV is now 4-5 (4-4 MPC) … Eli Vosburg recovered a fumble for the Trojans … Seth Gilliam, Brady Rosenberry and Vosburg each recorded sacks … Cobe Pennick covered CV’s top receiver, Smith, most of the game and Smith had zero catches.

Cumberland Valley 7, Chambersburg 0
Cumberland Valley         0     0     0     7     —     7
Chambersburg                 0     0     0     0     —     0
Fourth Quarter
CV — Hayden Johnson 4 run (Chayse Snyder kick), 0:26
Team Statistics
                                                     CV               Chbg
First downs                                 13                  5
Rushes-yards                            43-137          20-(-2)
Passing                                      13-18-0        14-19-0
Passing yards                              85                 117
Total offense                              222                 115
Fumbles-lost                               5-2                  1-0
Punts-average                           2-32.0            7-32.1
Penalties                                      5-40               9-80
Individual Statistics
Rushing — CV, Johnson 11-71, Rocco Bushman 12-35, Kameron Wolfe 16-33, Colton Stamy 5-(-2). Chbg, Malachi Tasker 10-19, Cam Green 9-(-6), team 1-(-15).
Passing — CV, Stamy 9-10-0-42, Wolfe 4-8-0-43. Chbg, Green 14-19-0-117.
Receiving — CV, Brody Pines 5-45, Jaden Erole 4-14, Bushman 1-11, Johnson 1-7, Beck Collins 1-7, Wolfe 1-6. Chbg, Davonte Scott 7-58, Brycen Murray 4-34, Cobe Penick 2-10, Cooper Stockslager 1-8, M.Tasker 1-7.
Missed FG — Chbg, Ayden Sylvestre 30 (wide left).