Playoffs are bittersweet

Playoffs are a fun time for everyone.

A lot is on the line for players and coaches, and it's a great time for reporters to see local athletes shine on a big platform.

But here's the thing about playoffs - when you make it to the postseason, you're probably not going to end your season with a win.

Out of all the boys hoops teams that made the playoffs this year, only four in the entire state win their final game of the season. It's certainly bittersweet, but that doesn't take anything away from teams that have proven themselves as playoff-caliber.

"I still feel like we accomplished a lot," Chambersburg guard ByShawn Mincie after the Trojans' season-ending loss on Friday. "We won three more games (than last year), and we're starting to bring back that chemistry that we needed to develop as a team."

I'll never forget last season what Trojan coach Shawn Shreffler said after their last game a year ago. He mentioned how it had been a long time since he took the final bus ride home happy - Chambersburg beat Northern York in overtime to end last year's regular season. (The last year Shreffler coached before the 2014-15 season was when Chambersburg won the District 3 Class AAAA title.)

Even though this year ended in disappointment for the Trojans, I feel sure Shreffler wouldn't change it for a regular-season victory to conclude the year.

Another team that suffered a heartbreaker at the end was James Buchanan's boys team. JB lost in the final seconds, 52-50 at the hands of Lancaster Catholic.

"When this season started, nobody gave us a chance to be here," Rockets center Ryan Hege said after the loss. "It's great to get to this point, and we gave it our all, but it just sucks that we couldn't finish."

Even still, I don't think James Buchanan would have it any other way. Prior to this year, the Rockets had not made the playoffs since 2006-07 season.

There are still two District 3 boys teams - Greencastle-Antrim and Shippensburg - in the hunt, while Southern Fulton and McConnellsburg boys begin their District 5 journeys this week.