It was a sweet ending to a hard-fought game for the State High Boys Basketball Team on Feb. 21, as it took down Mifflin County 44-40 to win its fourth consecutive PIAA District VI Championship.
State College started a mix of seniors, juniors and sophomores for this game, going with junior forward Manny Elliot, senior guard Ty Salazer, senior guard Reed Melvin, sophomore guard Nick Carr and senior forward Charlie Yartz.
Yartz started the game off with a skyhook inside for two. Later, Melvin hit a three from the corner to make it 7-0 and Mifflin County used its first timeout. Mifflin County’s first basket wouldn’t come until 5:03 in the first with an and-one layup to make it 7-3.
Mifflin County then went on a 11-0 run to take the lead with 3:23 left in the first. Then, State College made its first basket since the Melvin three with two foul shots by Carr. This led to a 7-0 run, which ended with a Melvin corner three, which tied the game 14-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Mifflin County opened the scoring for the second quarter with an easy two-point basket to make it 16-14. Junior Spencer Neilson drilled a wing three to make it 19-16, which was the first basket by either team in nearly three minutes. State College went into the half leading 26-20 with Yartz leading all scorers with 10 points.
Yartz scored the first three baskets of the second half with three free throws to make it 29-20. Salazer would get a fastbreak two to make it 33-20. State High had great defense throughout the entire game.
Head Coach Brian Scholly pointed it out after the game. “Well, I mean, their commitment to the defensive end tonight and I was really proud tonight because we haven’t had our best defensive performances [lately]. So it’s a step in the right direction holding a good team to 40 points,” Scholly said.
The Little Lions held Mifflin County to exactly half of the 80 that it surrendered to Tyrone in its most recent loss.
Mifflin County wouldn’t make their first basket until 4:47 left in the third quarter to make it 33-22. Jack Curry made a long-range three at the buzzer to cut State High’s lead to 37-32 going into the fourth quarter.
Mifflin County would score first in the fourth on a hoop and harm to make it 37-35. Salazer made the first basket of the fourth for State High with a layup at 5:54.
Yartz made a layup with 4:34 left in the fourth to bring the lead to 41-35, which would lead to a Mifflin County timeout. The Huskies recorded their first basket since the start of the quarter with 4:20 to play with an and-one basket to make it 41-38.
Mifflin County cut the lead to 41-40 with a floater at 2:18. Melvin brought it right back with a floater of his own at 1:45 left in the game to make it 43-40.
Mifflin County sophomore Luke Bender fouled Ty Salazer with 24.3 left in the game and sent him to the line to hit the dagger free throw. State High would hold on to win 44-40.
Yartz was proud of his team’s effort. “It feels awesome. I’m proud of my team but we came here to win and we got it done,” he said.
State High is back in action in a subregional game on Friday, Feb 21, 2025 against Erie McDowell in the North Gym at 6:00 PM.
