HS Football: Minersville runs past Panther Valley
Minersville quarterback Dante Carr (6) delivers a pass to Justin Cutler (19). Also pictured for the Battlin Miners is Gavin Allan (32)(Photo by Kelly Wiley).
MINERSVILLE — Minersville capitalized on four Panther Valley fumbles, all of which led to touchdowns, en route to a 42-18 victory in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Derek Derenzo was in the forefront for the Miners, rushing for 199 yards on just 12 carries, one of which was a 52-yard burst into the end zone.
His longest run of the evening came on a 60-yard dash on his second carry of the game, Derenzo’s only carry of the first half. The junior rushed for 139 yards after intermission.
The way Derenzo can set up his blockers is the key, and he readily admits that.
“I’m patient. I just wait for my receivers and blockers, and once I see where there is a (hole), I run to the opening,” Derenzo explained.
Sort of like a hawk waiting for its prey to come into focus.
“He runs very hard and is deceptively fast,” Minersville head coach Justin Frantz said.
It surprised Frantz that Derenzo was just a yard shy of the 200-yard barrier.
“I didn’t know that,” Frantz said with his friendly smile. Derenzo exited with well over three minutes left to play in the contest. By that time his team was just running the clock out.
It was an odd type of game, especially for Panther Valley quarterback Brody Breiner.
Much like Derenzo, Breiner accounted for nearly all his yards in the second half after being held in check for 37 first-half yards on nine carries. Breiner rode his offensive line to finish with 175 yards on 22 carries, behind a simple counter-trey play.
“It was working so well in the second half, we were able to get to their linebackers and the (counter) got us back in business,” Panther Valley coach Mark Lavine said.
Minersville started fast on a 1-yard run by Dante Carr. It was 7-0 after the first of six PATs by Jordan Bowers.
That lead ballooned to 14-0 when Carr flipped a 22-yard touchdown pass to Paiten LaPoint. It was a record setter on both accounts — LaPoint getting his 116th career reception, Carr his 26th touchdown pass for the all-time single-season record.
Matt Dube put the Miners up by three scores, catching a 30-yard touchdown strike following a Panther Valley fumble.
The visitors finally dented the scoring column just before halftime, driving 49 yards to paydirt. It was a bit-by-bit drive, nothing exceptional save for an 18-yard run by Breiner to the Minersville 29. Trey Nunez cracked in from a yard out to make it 21-6 at halftime.
“That touchdown gave us a boost of confidence, and we carried that over into the second half,” Lavine said.
Carr, who was dinged right before the end of the half, quickly assured the onlookers when he juked his way through picket fence of Panther Valley defenders on his way to a 24-yard touchdown run. It took all of three plays to set the score up, and it was Derenzo’s run that set the table for a 28-6 lead.
Panther Valley answered with a 43-yard scamper by Breiner to the end zone, but Carr was back in the end zone on the following series. Driving 64 yards on 10 plays, Minersville pushed the tally to 35-12 with 3:41 to play in the third quarter.
Panther Valley followed with a seven-play, 80-yard drive. The Panthers rode their huge offensive line with runs of 7, 15, 8, 24 and the final 11 yards. It was the final time Panther Valley had an answer.
Minersville tapped back into Derenzo. This time he snapped off a 52-yard touchdown run, before sure-footed kicker Bowers banged home a 30-yard field goal with ease to set the final count.
“I was just playing the game,” Derenzo said when told about his final yards. As much as Derenzo earned his keep running the ball, he was forceful at linebacker early on before Panther Valley found a way to block him to free up the counter trey.
“They keyed on our (linebackers) more in the second half, so we had a hard time getting (off the blocks),” Derenzo explained. “But we’ll get that straightened out for the playoffs.”
WHERE TO NEXT … Both teams are in the District 11 tournament. Panther Valley will travel to North Schuylkill in the Class 3A quarters Thursday while Minersville hosts Pen Argyl in the Class AA quarterfinals Saturday.
HE DID IT … Panther Valley’s wide receiver Gavin Yuricheck reached the 500-yard plateau for the season with three catches.
BY THE NUMBERS … Minersville totaled 428 yards of offense: 345 rushing, 85 passing. Carr went 8- for-11. Panther Valley finished with 197 yards total.
Game Summary
Minersville 42, Panther Valley 18
