Elijah Eck of Montoursville has his shot blocked by Rebira Jemama of Lewisburg at Shikellamy High School. Lewisburg won 56-53 to win the District IV AAAA Champions. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The JV basketball season concluded nearly four weeks ago, but several Montoursville players continue competing.

They do not see the court come game time, but they certainly have helped the Warriors go far. In fact, they have advanced deeper than any Montoursville team since 2020.

Montoursville competes in the 4A state tournament Friday when it hosts Valley View. The Warriors (18-7) also reached their first district final in six years and literally everyone has played a role in making it happen.

“I have JV kids still coming to practice and helping us. We have guys on the bench that don’t get in the game but they’re contributing,” Montoursville coach Mike Mussina said. “It’s so great for this group of kids who never had success in the postseason the last couple years. They never won a postseason game and now we’ve won two and I feel so good for those guys.”

Mussina returned to the sideline this winter after coaching Montoursville from 2014-2021 and helping the Warriors capture their first two district championships since 1985. The Warriors have now reached states in four of his last five years coaching and, had it not been for a 2021 COVID season in which only the champion advanced it, might be five straight.

But, while the Warriors remained competitive the previous four seasons, postseason success eluded them. They went one-and-done in districts each time, even after going 16-6 during the 2024 regular season. So, for senior starters like Shea Ulmer and Kingston Fisher, as well as key reserves Brennen Imbro and Carson Menne, this run has been particularly sweet.

Given one last chance, they have helped the Warriors cash in with victories against Danville and co-HAC-I champion Shamokin. Now, they also have earned one last home game. What a way to do so.

“Before this year, I was 0-3 in playoff games, so to even win one was incredible,” Ulmer, a first team HAC-II all-star said. “It means a lot.”

Montoursville returned four starters from last year’s 11-win team, so potential for a big push was there. Still, it took a lot of work and jelling to turn potential into success. The Warriors kept grinding and did not let a midseason funk slow them down.

Instead, they regrouped and won seven of their next eight games before dropping a 56-53 heartbreaker against Lewisburg in the district final. Even in defeat, Montoursville revealed the talent and character which has led it back to states, nearly erasing a nine-point deficit in the last 85 seconds.

“That’s what we work for. We’ve been telling them that since the beginning,” Mussina said. “We have a good basketball team; we have a good group of kids who want to work hard and want to get better. Three months later, here we are with a chance to go to the state tournament.

“We’ve really accomplished a lot of things and hopefully we’re not done.”

Montoursville has built its success not on the back of a few players, but all of them. Four starters average more than nine points per game and sophomores Cam Cintron and Isaac Erlandson have burst onto the scene in their first years starting. Add in a deep bench which has made vital contributions throughout the postseason and Montoursville had the ingredients to cook up a playoff run.

Fittingly, all played big roles. After hammering Danville in the quarterfinals, Montoursville trailed Shamokin by six at halftime in the district semifinals and still by three with less than 2 ½ minutes remaining.

Jay Houseknecht then came off the bench and nearly immediately made a steal which he converted into a layup. Fellow reserve Zack Neill made an alert pass to Shea Ulmer for a go-ahead 3-pointer and Houseknecht drilled four straight clutch foul shots in the final 21 seconds, clinching a 58-51 win.

In the last 2+ minutes, Montoursville outscored Shamokin, 12-2.

“It definitely represented how it’s not just one or two of us. It’s not two big scorers,” Houseknecht said. “Everybody contributes and even the people on the bench are clapping, they’re always working hard at practice and they’re making everyone better.”

“Games like that, tied going into the fourth quarter back and forth all night; we talk about every day that it’s exactly what we play for,” Ulmer said. “It’s all about staying poised in those moments. I went up to Cam with about five minutes left in the game and said, ‘I know you’re young, but play like you’re a senior. That’s what we need in those situations.”

Montoursville showed that poise against Lewisburg when victory seemed far-fetched. Instead of wilting, the Warriors relentlessly fought back. Elijah Eck drained two clutch 3-pointers, Ulmer and Cintron scored off putbacks and Montoursville was able to launch two potential game-tying 3-point shots in the closing seconds.

Yes, the comeback fell short, but how Montoursville mounted it symbolized how it has made such a big turnaround this season. It’s some balance, some maturity, some talent and a whole bunch of determination.

Montoursville will try building on that foundation against Valley View Friday. The Cougars reached last year’s Final 4 and mirror Montoursville with some excellent balance.

The Warriors have proven a lot this year and Friday presents another opportunity at making a loud statement.

There is a strong core returning next season, as well as a terrific junior high program in place. The 2026 Warriors excelling the way they have has shined a bright light upon them, but their bigger legacy could be turning this one standout season into many more.

“They pulled together as a group and have done a lot of good things. I’m proud of them for how far we’ve come,” Mussina said. “We’re starting three sophomores and we still have a future and still have a present, so we have to keep working.”