HS Football: Panther Valley runs past Nativity
Brody Breiner, Panther Valley. (Photo by First Class School Photography)
SAINT CLAIR — Coaches preach winning the middle eight all the time — the last four minutes before halftime and the first four minutes of the third quarter. Panther Valley did just that in a 41-24 victory over Nativity on Friday night in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Panthers started the scoring on an 11-play, seven-minute drive to open the game that resulted in Brody Breiner’s first score of the game — a 2-yard rush. After a 3-and-out from Nativity, the Panthers struck again with a Carson Jones 5-yard rush into the
end zone, which gave the Panthers a 14-0 lead still in the first quarter.
Down two touchdowns, Nativity capitalized on turnovers to get back into the game. Then a 50-yard run up the middle from Cole Felty and a successful two-point conversion put the Green Wave on the scoreboard. Then an onside kick, a fumbled Panther Valley punt and an interception had Nativity leading 16-14 in the second quarter.
“Up 14-0, I thought maybe we were going to run away with one,” Panther Valley coach Mark Lavine said of the team’s hot start.
“Then we give up a long play and then turnovers.”
Regardless, Lavine saw his team face adversity, and they answered the test. “I was happy because in years past we have the “here-we-go-again mentality” but we didn’t have it. We drove down, went up at half and got a stop coming out of half and controlled the second half.”
Capturing the a 20-16 halftime lead, it was Breiner and the Panthers defense that stole the show to ensure the Panthers’ second straight win. Throwing for 151 yards and a touchdown through the air and adding 206 yards on 23 carries on the ground completed a three-touchdown night for Breiner, the Panthers’ senior quarterback.
“Everything we do, we go through him,” Lavine said of Breiner’s performance. “We have the ability this year to throw and pass the ball — it’s really awesome for us.”
The Panther Valley defense allowed just 53 yards in the second half. Nativity’s biggest success came from an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Bentley Werez.
Coming off a win last week against Pine Grove, Panther Valley (2-3, 2-2 Blue) looks to build on its two-game winning streak.
“We knew we were better than 0-3; we lost to two undefeated teams,” Lavine said. “We practice hard — our kids never hung their head and never got down, and it’s showed the last two weeks.”
The Panthers now look to return home next Friday to against Tri-Valley. Nativity (2-3, 1-3) hits the road for a game against Shenandoah Valley.
Game Summary
Panther Valley 41, Nativity 24
PV (2-3, 2-2) 14 6 7 14 — 41
Nat (2-3, 1-3) 8 8 0 8 — 24
PV — Breiner 2 run (Williams kick)
PV — Jones 5 run (Williams kick)
Nat — Connor Felty 50 run (Mason run)
Nat — Mason 26 run (Felty run)
PV — Rodriguez 5 run (2 pt conversion failed)
PV — Breiner 34 run (Williams kick)
PV — McArdle 16 pass from Breiner (Williams kick)
Nat — Bentley 80 return (Mason run)
PV — Breiner 10 run (Williams kick)
