Panther Valley's Brennan Kunkel is brought down by Minersville's Matt Dube as Logan Rizzardi assists during Friday's game at Lansford. (Photo by Kelly Wiley)

When you analyze Panther Valley’s 2024 football season, one stat jumps off the page.

The Panthers scored just 66 points in 10 games a year ago, the lowest of any Schuylkill League school. Panther Valley was shut out six times and scored just one touchdown in two other games. The only games in which the PV offense reached the end zone multiple times were its two victories — Pine Grove (21-13) and Shenandoah Valley (32-0).

To improve on last season’s 2-8 mark, Panther Valley’s objective this season is clear: Score more points.

“I don’t think we had a lot of playmakers in the upper classes last year,” said head coach Mark Lavine, entering his fourth year at the helm. “We really had to chunk out points, which meant long drives. A lot of times those long drives we just didn’t end up scoring. Our team speed is better than it has been in four years. We’re hoping we can get more big plays to spark us and get us going.”

Panther Valley Panthers

3 Key Players to Watch

Brody Breiner, senior QB

Gavin Yuricheck, senior WR/DB

Marco Tessitore, senior OL/DL

3 Key Newcomers to Watch

Troy Nunez, sophomore RB

Jerry Harrison, junior OL/DL

Chase McArdle, sophomore WR/DB

3 Key Graduation Losses

Brennan Kunkel, RB/DB

Michael Williams, OL

Clinton Dyer, OL/DL

Must keep Breiner healthy

One major issue that hampered the Panther Valley offense a year ago was injuries.

Starting quarterback Brody Breiner was lost for the season with a broken leg in Week 4, forcing Lavine to shuffle his offensive backfield.

A dual threat quarterback, Breiner rushed for 259 yards and completed 25-of-64 passes for 224 yards and a pair of scores. He rushed for 140 yards in a Week 4 win over Pine Grove.

Brennan Kunkel, who led the Panthers in rushing with 398 yards on 94 carries, also missed a pair of games due to injury and struggled when moved to quarterback. Kunkel graduated, as did leading receiver Brady Jones (22-216).

“Brody has been a leader for us,” Lavine said. “He started as a freshman for us as a wide receiver. He’s started as a sophomore and junior and losing him was huge. In addition to that, the guy we had backing him up was in and out all year with injuries.

“Having him back … we’re going to be able to throw the ball more with him. Our goal is to not run him as much and not beat him up and keep him healthy because he’s such a key for us.”

Breiner, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior, is healthy and back under center this fall, ready to lead the Panthers’ offense in his third year as the starting quarterback.

“It was very disappointing to (get injured). I was out for four weeks and when I went I back I wasn’t cleared. I was very bummed,” Breiner said. “The whole offseason I’ve been waiting to get back on the field and go to war with my boys. I can’t wait.”

It starts up front

Panther Valley was one of the surprises at the annual Schuylkill United Way High School Football Challenge in June at North Schuylkill, finishing sixth overall and fifth in the strength competition.

Both Breiner and Lavine said the weight room was a big focus in the offseason as the Panthers made it an emphasis in their workouts to get bigger, stronger and faster.

Senior two-way lineman Marco Tessitore, a 6-2, 315-pounder, anchors the Panthers’ efforts up front.

“Since we’ve taken over here, the weight room has been a huge thing,” Lavine said. “We really work hard in the weight room. Sometimes that doesn’t show overnight … it takes a couple of years. Right now our junior class and our senior class, we have some kids who are really killing it in the weight room. They’re working hard, they don’t miss.”

Lavine hopes the Panthers’ strong showing in the High School Football Challenge serves as a springboard into the 2025 season.

“That’s huge for us as a program because the kids are starting to look, ‘Hey, this is how close we are,’” he said. “The kids know that it all has to start in the weight room and start with strength. It starts with running the ball and being able to stop the run. Hope it shows off this year.”

Youngsters must step up

Injuries often create opportunities and Lavine said several of his underclassmen got valuable playing time last year when the players ahead of them on the depth chart were injured.

Senior Marcus Rodriguez (55-198) and sophomore Troy Nunez (30-152) saw plenty of carries last year, while senior Benny Baneravage saw time as quarterback after Breiner was injured. Baneravage will play wide receiver this season.

“With the injuries we had last year, we had to move some kids around, and that ended up being something that helped us because we found some kids at different positions that are really going to help us on both sides of the ball,” Lavine said.

“We got some younger kids some key experience against some really good teams that coming into this year they can feed off that experience and just only get better.”

Panther Valley Roster