CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Crystal River High School football coach Cliff Lohrey said his former player Chandler Stalcup reached out a couple of weeks ago on National Coaches Day.
“He sent me a text telling me how appreciative he was of everything,” said Lohrey.
But Lohrey says he’s the one who appreciated having someone like Chandler on his team.
“All he did was put his head down and went to work. He started contributing as a sophomore, which we didn’t expect. And by the time he was a junior and senior, he was contributing on both sides of the ball,” said Lohrey.
Many here at Crystal River High School and around the community mourn the 18-year-old.
Stalcup was shot and killed at a home early Saturday morning in Billings, Montana, where he was going to school and playing football at Rock Mountain College.
Police arrested two teenagers, including a 16-year-old they say fired the fatal shot.
Crystal River senior Michael Miller played baseball with Chandler.
“I was just in shock. I didn’t believe it at first. He was like an older brother to me. Really, last year we did a lot together. As a teammate, he was just so admirable. Everybody wanted to be like him the way he carried himself on and off the field,” said Miller.
“Chandler loved this community. He loved this school. And the only thing I know he loved more than Pirate football and his teammates was his family,” said Lohrey.
Stalup leaves behind his parents, sister, and many others in this community who are having trouble believing he’s gone.
