D-11 Boys’ Soccer: Miners capture 1st District 11 boys’ title in school history
Mark Mahal, the first coach in Minersville boys' soccer history who founded the program in 1990, is presented the District 11 championship trophy by the team's current players after the Miners won the first District 11 title in program history Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Tri-Valley at Lehighton (Photo by Leroy Boyer).
LEHIGHTON — It was a moment that perfectly tied the present to the past.
A moment that brought tears to the man who made it all happen.
Minersville captured the first District 11 boys’ soccer championship in school history Wednesday night, using a pair of goals by Jordan Bowers to edge Tri-Valley 2-1 in the Class A final at Lehighton’s Multi-Purpose Stadium.
After receiving their gold medals and District 11 championship trophy, the Miners immediately proceeded over to the grandstand fence to pay tribute to Mark Mahal, one of the founding fathers of soccer in Schuylkill County and the Miners’ first coach in 1990.
Mahal, who jumped out of his seat several times during the game in celebration, was brought to tears as he addressed the Miners on what Wednesday’s victory meant to him and the Minersville program.
“It’s epic,” current Minersville coach Ed Burke said afterward. “Like I told (Mahal), we don’t do what we do … players, coaches, the whole program … without all the hard work he put in 35 years ago.
“Like I told the boys … win this for yourselves for your hard work this season and win it for all the players who wore the jersey for all those years. There was so much heart and fight to bring the program back.
“To present him with that trophy was our No. 1 goal.”
Minersville (17-4) rode the skill of Bowers and a stellar defensive effort to make that dream a reality.
The Miners withstood a flurry of shots early in the first half to keep the game scoreless, then went up 1-0 when Bowers took a feed from Evan Handling and weaved his way up the right side to beat Tri-Valley keeper Brayden Leese at 30:44.
The Miners led 1-0 at intermission.
“Shout out to my teammates, making the perfect feed to me,” Bowers said. “I can’t do it without them, telling me where to go, making the right plays at the right time. It’s great to have that brotherhood behind you.”
The Dawgs (13-8) tied the contest at 1-1 when Nathan Hillard scored off an assist from Liam Yourey with 27:15 remaining.
The Miners answered immediately, however, as Bowers took a feed from Cam Rodgers, outmaneuvered a pair of Tri-Valley defenders for the ball, then blasted a shot into the left side of the net with 25:39 remaining.
“I just saw an opening in the defense,” Bowers said. “I got a great through-ball from my midfielder Cam Rodgers … he played a great through-ball. I just finished it.”
As big as Bowers’ goals were, his biggest contribution may have been defensively.
With Tri-Valley trying to gain the equalizer, the lanky junior was able to head a pair of hard shots from the midfield away from the net to keep his team ahead.
“I can’t say enough about (Bowers),” Burke said. “His talent speaks volumes, but his leadership … These boys respond to the lead he sets. Just as important as the two goals he scored were the two goals he saved.
“He played from net to net, everything he can do for his team. He left it all on the field.”
The Dawgs finished with a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal but couldn’t get the tying goal. It was a heartbreaking loss for Tri-Valley, which lost in the District 11 Class A final for the second straight year to a Schuylkill League Division II rival.
Tri-Valley was looking to win its first District 11 title since 2010.
“I’m speechless. The kids left it all out there, blood, sweat and tears,” Tri-Valley coach Phill Barry said. “We had opportunities. The one header hit the bottom of the crossbar. We didn’t capitalize and they capitalized on two.
“Unfortunately for two years in a row we were on the bad end of the stick.”
Minersville advances to the PIAA Class A playoffs, where the Miners will face the District 2 champion Tuesday, Nov. 4, at a District 2 site.
It was a special moment after the game for the Miners, who remained on the field celebrating and posing for photos long after the game was over.
In the second year back as a full program after several seasons as a co-op, the Miners are district champs.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Burke said. “We worked hard in the two years to cover the ground that we did. We always say a lot of what we built was in two-a-days. It wasn’t all about the training we did, but the bond that the players created.
“In tight games like this, they were able to lean on that bond, that brotherhood that they created. I’m very pleased with the journey.”
