Minersville's Dante Carr poses with family, coaches and school administrators after signing his official letter of intent to play Division I football at the University of Central Florida. Front row (left to right): Karlie Carr, Katie Rowlands Carr, Dante Carr and Matt Carr. Back row (left to right) Minersville Area Superintendent Michael Maley, head football coach and Dean of Students Justin Frantz, football coach Jesse White, Jr./Sr. High School Principal Joel Motuk (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

MINERSVILLE — Dante Carr has made it official.

The Minersville auditorium felt more like a championship arena Wednesday afternoon as senior standout Dante Carr signed his NCAA Division I letter of intent to continue his football career at the University of Central Florida.

Family members, teammates, coaches, teachers and media crowded into the front rows, all there to watch one of the most accomplished athletes in school history take the next step.

“This is awesome, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” Carr said. “To officially have the pen and the paper and be a Knight is something I’m super blessed to be able to do.”

Minersville Area Junior/Senior High School principal Joel Motuk opened the ceremony by welcoming those in attendance and emphasizing what Carr has meant not only to Minersville athletics, but to the identity of the school itself. He introduced Carr’s family and recognized the commitment and sacrifice behind every milestone that led to this moment.

Dean of students and head football coach Justin Frantz then took the podium and delivered a detailed, heartfelt reflection on Carr’s impact. Frantz spoke about Carr’s work ethic, leadership and competitive fire — traits that defined him whether he was under center on Friday nights, attacking the rim during basketball season or sprinting down the track in the spring.

Frantz highlighted the significance of Carr’s accomplishments by announcing during the ceremony that Minersville is retiring his No. 6 jersey, making him just the fourth player in program history to receive the honor. The announcement drew a round of applause from the crowd, many of whom watched Carr dominate across multiple sports over the last four years.

“We’ve all been lucky enough to see ‘number 6’ on the field, court, track and baseball diamond,” Frantz said. “And having a front-row seat to it has been awesome.”

Carr, one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the state, delivered a short but emotional speech after Frantz turned the floor over to him. He thanked his parents, coaches, teachers, the Minersville administration, his teammates and the community for supporting him from youth football through his record-setting varsity career.

Moments later, Carr signed his commitment papers to UCF, officially joining the Knights and becoming one of the rare Schuylkill League athletes to earn a scholarship to a Power Five program. The Big 12 Conference awaits. Despite being pursued by other colleges, Carr said his commitment to UCF has remained strong since he announced his decision in June.

“If I’m being honest, no, since Day 1 I knew I waned to be a Knight, so nothing’s changed,” Carr said. “There were schools who reached out to me throughout the process after I committed, but I knew UCF is my home and I was going to stick with them. I didn’t want anything to do with any other schools.”

As part of the ceremony, Frantz and school officials highlighted Carr’s career achievements — a list so long and impressive it required multiple pages. Carr leaves Minersville as the most prolific offensive player in school history and one of the most decorated athletes the program has ever produced.

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Dante Carr’s Minersville Football Records & Career Highlights

• 339 career completions / 645 attempts

• 5,890 career passing yards

• 79 career passing touchdowns

• 29 passing TDs in a single season

• 57 career rushing touchdowns

• 352 career points scored

• 3,535 career rushing yards — most ever by a Minersville quarterback

• 9.9 yards per carry for his career

• Only quarterback in school history to pass and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season — and he did it twice

• First-ever 3-year team captain (voted on by teammates)

Carr’s athletic legacy extends well beyond football. On the basketball court, he became a 1,000-point scorer as a junior, joining one of the most exclusive clubs in Minersville hoops history. In track and field, he qualified for the PIAA State Championships in Shippensburg twice, contributing to school record-setting relay teams.

Across every sport, Carr’s competitiveness and consistency stood out — qualities his coaches often praised as much as his statistical accomplishments.

Wednesday’s ceremony served not just as a signing event, but as a celebration of an athlete whose time at Minersville elevated the programs around him. With his jersey retired, his name cemented in the school record books and his next chapter set in motion, Carr leaves behind a legacy future Battlin’ Miners will measure themselves against for years.

“I’m just excited to go down there and compete,” Carr said. “No position is guaranteed, so you have to go work your butt off. I’m just going to go and compete.”

UCF fans will soon learn what the Minersville community already knows — Dante Carr is built for the big stage.