HS Football: Big 2nd half clinches Minersville’s win over Tri-Valley
Minersville's Ty Atkinson (11) and GAvin Allan (32) tackle Tri-Valley Max Masser for a loss during Friday's game. (Photo by Kelly Wiley)
MINERSVILLE — Football fans know about Minersville quarterback Dante Carr and big-play receivers like Paiten LaPoint and Ty Atkinson.
Those guys made their mark Friday night, but the other keys to the Battlin’ Miners’ 34-17 victory over Tri-Valley in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game at Veterans Memorial Stadium came in the trenches. Minersville’s offensive line dominated the Dawgs in the second half, and the Miners’ defense shut out Tri-Valley after the break.
Minersville (7-2, 6-2 Blue) forced three turnovers in the game. Derek Derenzo and Atkinson recovered fumbles, and freshman linebacker John Lutsky intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.
“I’m so proud of our defense, the way they stepped up,” Minersville coach Justin Frantz said.
After being held to three yards rushing in the first half, Minersville came out determined to run the ball after intermission. The line and receivers paved the way for Derenzo to rush 12 times for 76 yards. He cashed in with TD runs of 5 and 7 yards in the fourth quarter to help Minersville pull away.
Leading 21-17, Minersville forced Tri-Valley to punt on the opening possession of the second half, and Trey Porter pinned the Miners at their 3-yard line. Ninety-seven yards later, Minersville found itself in the end zone.
Tri-Valley (6-3, 5-3 Blue) helped with an offsides penalty to move the ball to the 8. Derenzo then ripped off a 22-yard run, and a facemask penalty moved the ball all the way to the 45. Minersville kept pounding the ball on the ground, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Derenzo blasted into the end zone from five yards out. The drive covered 97 yards on 12 plays and took 6:33 off the clock. All 12 plays were runs.
“We got in at halftime, and (Tri-Valley) had all the momentum,” Frantz said. “We had to do everything to stop them. I’ve got to give a shoutout to our receivers. We didn’t throw the ball much tonight, but they flat-out blocked their tails off. We challenged (our offensive line). They knew how good (Tri-Valley’s) line was, and their whole defense. They’ve got 11 great players on that defense. We’ve been talking to the line that we wanted the drive. … We call it our ‘Championship Drive’ where all we do is run the ball. That was huge. They just dominated.
“That’s a drive that makes a season,” Frantz added.
Derenzo’s touchdown gave the Miners a 28-17 lead.
After stuffing Tri-Valley on fourth-and-1 from its 29, the Miners added a clinching touchdown on Derenzo’s 7-yard run with 2:41 left in the game.
The Dawgs moved the ball effectively at times but Minersville held them to 27 yards rushing on 11 carries in the second half.
“They’re a good football team. They came out more fired up than we were (after halftime),” Tri-Valley coach Jeff Sampson said. “It showed. To win a football game against a team like this, you have to sustain all four quarters, and I don’t believe we did that.”
The teams traded big plays in the first half as Minersville emerged with a 21-17 lead.
On the first possession of the game, Carr connected with Atkinson for 28 yards near midfield, then fired a strike to a wide-open Atkinson for a 41-yard TD and a 7-0 lead.
Tri-Valley answered with a 17-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that took 9:31 off the clock. The Dawgs’ game plan included winning the time of possession to keep Minersville’s potent offense on the sideline. It sure worked on that drive. The key play came when Porter ran a fake punt and raced 21 yards on fourth-and-9 to keep the drive alive. On the second play of the second quarter, Parker Hatter scored on a 4-yard run to tie the game 7-7.
Hatter intercepted Carr on Minersville’s next possession and returned the pick 49 yards to the Minersville 14. The Miners, though, held and forced Tri-Valley to settle for Nate Hillard’s 31-yard field goal.
Undaunted, Carr shook off a would-be sacker and whipped a 33-yard completion to Atkinson. Four plays later, Carr found LaPoint for a 38-yard TD that put Minersville ahead to stay, 14-10.
Minersville’s defense stepped up again when Lutsky stepped into front of a Porter pass and returned the interception 27 yards for a TD and a 21-10 Minersville lead.
Just before halftime, Tri-Valley turned an Elliott Stiely interception into a touchdown. Porter connected with Cooper Carl for a 25-yard TD that cut the deficit to 21-17 at halftime.
