HERSHEY — The lights were bright, the crowd was loud and a state basketball title hung in the balance Thursday afternoon at GIANT Center in Hershey. But for Lewistown officials Ray Hoppel and Steve Searer, the PIAA Class A boys final between Sankofa Freedom and Neighborhood Academy meant something more — the moment they had spent decades working toward.

Hoppel and Searer, veteran members of the Central Juniata Chapter of basketball officials, were selected to referee their first PIAA boys basketball championship final. Sankofa Freedom went on to win 55-52, denying Neighborhood Academy a second straight state title.

For Hoppel and Searer, the assignment represented one of the highest honors an official can receive in Pennsylvania and the culmination of years of commitment, evaluation, and persistence — more like decades as both men have been officiating for at least 30 years.

Hoppel, who has been officiating for 30 years and working postseason games for more than 20, said the call he received Monday afternoon immediately changed his week.

“It’s all I thought about,” he said. “There are 4,500 referees in Pennsylvania, and we were the three chosen for that assignment. Anybody who reaches a state final works extremely hard to get to that point. The competition is fierce.”

For Searer, who just completed his 36th year as an official, the excitement was just as immediate.

“When I got the call on Monday, I was so excited,” he said. “This is why I referee. I want to work the top games, and to be picked for a state championship means everything.”

The third member of Thursday’s crew was Dan Gales, of Lock Haven.

Hoppel and Searer’s names were submitted through the district into a statewide pool of roughly 1,000 postseason-eligible officials. The officials are then assigned to either the boys or girls side for potential assignments.

Searer has spent 25 years on the boys side and one year on the girls side — and it was that single year that earned him his first state final assignment.

Hoppel and Searer have worked together “hundreds of times,” Hoppel said, and both were grateful to share the moment with familiar faces.

A craft built on more than whistles

Refereeing is often described as a thankless job — long nights, constant travel, and the reality that half the gym will disagree with every call. For Searer, the early motivation was simple: extra money. But that didn’t last long.

“Once I got into it, I wanted to be good at it,” he said. “I had several people who helped me along the way. Jeff Heider was one of them — he worked a Division II national championship game. People like that passed on their knowledge, and I just enjoyed still being part of the game.”

Hoppel shared a similar path. He has come close to a state final assignment several times, but never broke through until this year. The process is rigorous: officials are evaluated throughout the season, and only those who consistently perform at the highest level are added to the selection pool. With six classes of basketball, there are only 36 spots open each year –18 for boys or girls championships.

“You’re kind of competing with other officials for state assignments,” Searer said. “You’re not trying to beat them, but you hope you’re considered one of the best.”

Their chapter has a strong history of excellence. Hoppel becomes the seventh official from the Central Juniata Chapter to work a state final, joining Tona Williams, John Thompson, Searer, David Pray, Jeff Heider and Justin Fraker. Several of those officials have worked multiple finals.

A moment worth the wait

The Class A final delivered the kind of intensity officials dream of — a tight, physical, possession-by-possession battle. Neighborhood Academy, the defending champion, made a late push, but Sankofa Freedom held on in the final minute to secure the 55-52 victory.

For both men, stepping onto the Giant Center floor was unlike anything they experience during the regular season.

“The pressure is very different,” Hoppel said. “And the atmosphere is nothing like a high school gym.”

Searer agreed. “After 36 years, to finally get this assignment — it’s special,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

After thousands of games, countless miles and decades of dedication, both officials walked onto the state’s biggest stage knowing they had earned every second of it.