HS Football: Carr, defense lead Minersville to victory over Marian
Minersville's Dante Carr gets set to run a play during Saturday's Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game at Marian (Photo by Eli Doyle).
HOMETOWN — A pair of interceptions on Minersville’s two possessions Saturday night didn’t discourage Dante Carr.
It only made him work harder.
The Miners’ senior standout bounced back from his early miscues with a stellar performance, leading Minersville to a 38-7 victory over Marian in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game at Stan Dakosty Field at Men of Marian Stadium.
Carr passed for two touchdowns and made a highlight-reel touchdown run right before the half as the Miners (4-2, 3-2 Blue) scored the game’s final 38 points.
“I missed two passes to Paiten … underthrew him,” Carr said. “I hate doing that. All my receivers, all my line, they have my back.”
Rory Dixon picked off Carr five plays into the game, coming over from his safety spot to step in front of a deep pass down the seam. Dixon did it again on the Miners’ next possession on a very similar play, stepping in front of Paiten LaPoint to pick off the pass and returning the ball to the Miners’ 35.
Tyler Price rambled into the end zone on Marian’s next play to put the Colts up 7-0 with 10:55 left in the second quarter.
Carr countered by guiding the Miners on an eight-play, 63-yard scoring drive. The UCF commit had a 27-yard scamper on the march, then looked off one receiver and hit Matt Dube on a post pattern for a 36-yard TD.
When Jordan Bowers scooped up a bad snap on the conversion kick and passed to Derek Derenzo for the two-point conversion, Minersville led 8-7.
“Paiten got double-covered and left Matt open,” Carr said. “It was the receivers and the line that opened that up.”
Carr showcased why he’s a Division I commit in the closing seconds of the first half.
Faced with a second-and-20 at his own 45, Carr eluded a Marian blitz, avoided being sacked, broke through the line and took off, weaving through the Marian secondary for a 55-yard touchdown with 6.6 seconds left in the half.
The score gave Minersville a 15-7 halftime lead.
“They dropped everyone back, expecting pass,” Carr said. “They blitzed the whole house and my line made a hole. I just ran up the middle. My receivers got downfield, made some blocks, I made one cut and I was in the end zone.
“Really it was my team that made that play.”
Minersville expanded that lead on its first offensive play of the third quarter when LaPoint took a bubble pass from Carr, slipped through one tackle and sprinted down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown.
It was LaPoint’s 21st career receiving touchdown, breaking the Minersville school record of 20 set by former teammate Logan Hutsko (2021-24).
“It was a great pass by Dante,” LaPoint said. “Matt Dube and Justin Cutler had great blocks and I just do my thing.”
On the record, he said: “I give so much credit to Dante for being who he is and the linemen do a great job all the time. I have to give credit to them.”
Minersville pulled away from there, mostly on the strength of its defense.
A safety on Marian’s next possession made it 24-7 and the Miners tacked on touchdown runs by Derenzo and Gavin Allan. Bowers made four conversion kicks, giving him the school record for kicking points with 75. The previous mark was 73 set by Matt Willinsky (1996-98).
Minersville’s defense held Marian to eight first downs and 147 total yards, only 69 total yards after Price’s touchdown.
“I thought they played lights out,” Minersville coach Justin Frantz said of his defense. “Our kids just kept coming. We made a couple of adjustments at halftime. I think we played a lot more aggressive in the second half and were more downhill.
“I couldn’t be prouder of those kids. This may have been our best defensive game this year. When you play an offense like that and keep them to seven points, that’s awesome.”
The key to Minersville’s strong effort was contributions from numerous players.
Allan had an interception, T.J. Bowers and John Lutsky made a key fourth-down stop in the first quarter and Dommie Yourey, Dube and Ty Atkinson each made tackles for loss.
It all added up to Minersville’s first victory since Week 3 and a bounce-back win after tough losses to Williams Valley and Schuylkill Haven.
“To get contributions, big contributions, from those kids who don’t get headlines all the time, it’s fun,” Frantz said. “It’s fun for us, it’s fun for them and it changes the whole chemistry of the team.”
For Marian (5-1, 4-1 Blue), its first loss of the season spoiled the Colts’ Homecoming celebration, which included reunions for the 1990 PIAA Class A state championship team and 2000 PIAA Class AA Eastern finalist squad.
Starting quarterback Greg Tirpak did not play due to undisclosed reasons. Marian came out with Dixon running the wildcat and was successful at first. The Colts then turned to freshman Cole Grochowski in the second half.
“I was proud of our effort, especially in the first half,” Marian coach Billy O’Gurek said. “Gregory was unavailable tonight, but we made the best of the situation. I thought Rory did well in the first half. I thought Cole showed something. We’re looking forward to having Greg back next week.”
