Minersville's Brandon Adams, top, tackles Williams Valley's Trevon Bair during their Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game Sept. 12, 2025 in Minersville (Photo by Kelly Wiley).

WILLIAMSTOWN — Just when adversity was knocking at the doorstep of the Williams Valley football team, it found answers from unexpected sources Friday on Homecoming night at Gerry Stauffenberg Field at Viking Stadium.

Freshmen Chevy Green and Cole Hubler and junior Trevon Bair played key roles as the Vikings used a big second half to pull away from upset-minded Panther Valley 35-14 in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game.

Williams Valley (6-1, 5-1 Blue) played most of the evening without senior quarterback Brady Shomper and sophomore running back Fletcher Thompson before both players entered late in the game.

Panther Valley (2-5, 2-4 Blue) struck first, forcing an early fumble that Steven Weaver returned 50 yards to the Williams Valley 8-yard line. Quarterback Brody Breiner then found Ben Baneravage for an 8-yard touchdown that gave the Panthers a 6-0 lead 65 seconds into the game.

Williams Valley answered with a seven-play scoring drive capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by Green, who started at quarterback. Quin Smeltz’s conversion kick gave the Vikings a 7-6 lead. The TD was set up by Bair’s 45-yard kickoff return to the Panther Valley 35.

The Vikings went up 14-6 with a 52-yard scoring march. Green had a 12-yard run and Hubler zipped 11 yards to the Panthers’ 18. Green then found Blazer Lords for an 18-yard TD pass on a terrific play with 3:22 to play in the opening quarter.

Green showed great poise, finishing 6-of-11 passing for 128 yards while also running for 23 yards.

“I thought our younger guys did a great job. They responded very well,” Williams Valley coach Stephen Sedesse said, alluding to Green, Bair and Hubler. “We were happy the way the young kids stepped up. We had a couple freshmen make some big plays for us. We got Marian next week, hopefully things go good this week (in practice).”

Panther Valley seemed to stall out until late in the second quarter. There was 4:41 showing until half when the Panthers stirred up their best drive of the night.

With Breiner at the throttle, he hit sophomore receiver Chase McArdle for quick out of 7 yards, then the heady quarterback juked 10 yards, then three more yards. Faced with a fourth down with 1:11 left until intermission, Breiner found Baneravage flying down the middle of the field uncovered and the hookup was good for a 53-yard touchdown.

Panther Valley tied the game when Baneravage used an end around pass to Weaver for the two-point conversion and a 14-14 tie at the break.

Williams Valley never came unglued despite the unknowns.

Green rallied the troops, leading the team on a seven-play, 50-yard march to take a 21-14 lead with 4:04 on the clock in the third quarter. Shomper got his strong throwing arm back in rhythm when he flung a perfectly thrown 41-yard touchdown pass to Colin Crisswell. Thompson got his legs pumping racing 58 yards to the end zone on swing pass from Shomper with 4:15 to play, to end the upset-minded Panthers’ hopes.

Breiner finished with 19 carries for 74 yards on the ground. McArdle had seven receptions for 60 yards, while Gavin Yuricheck had four catches for 21 yards and Baneravage caught two passes for 56 yards.

“I know they had a few starters that didn’t play until late, but that doesn’t take away from the way our guys played,” Panther Valley coach Mark Lavine said. “Hey, their offensive (and) defensive (linemen) were all on the field at the same time. They played the entire game.

“When we play our game, we can go up against any team in the league.”

Game Summary

Williams Valley 35, Panther Valley 14

PV (2-5, 2-4)         6          8          0          0  —    14

WV (6-1, 5-1)          7          7          7          14  —    35

PV – Baneravage 8 pass from Breiner (kick failed)

WV – Chevy Green 3 run (Smeltz kick)

WV – Lords 18 pass from Green (Smeltz kick)

PV – Baneravage 53 pass from Breiner (Weaver pass from Breiner)

WV – Chevy Green 1 run (Smeltz kick)

WV – Crisswell 41 pass from Shomper (Smeltz kick)

WV – Thompson 58 pass from Shomper (Smeltz kick)