Game Summary
Min (1-4, 1-4) 7 7 0 7 — 21 SV (0-5, 0-5) 0 0 0 0 — 0
M —Lucas 5 run (Fink kick)
M —Schultz 5 run (Fink kick)
M —Taylor 6 run (Fink kick)
Min SV
First Downs 18 3
Rushes-Yards 54-206 15-31
Passes 4-9-0 3-15-1
Passing Yards 44 10
Total Yards 250 41
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-2
Penalties 6-60 4-45
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Minersville — Schultz 23-72, Taylor 5-34, Lucas 6-33, Griffiths 9-30, McBreen 6-23, Killian 2-13, Stephen 3-1. Shenandoah Valley — Urbanavage 3-12, McCole 4-11, Morales 6-10, Allegretta 1-2, Team 1-(-4).
PASSING: Minersville — McBreen 4-8-0, 44; Taylor 0-1-0, 0. Shenandoah Valley — McCole 3-14-1, 10; Allegretta 0-1-0, 0.
RECEIVING: Minersville — Brennan 1-22, Schultz 2-15, Heffron 1-7. Shenandoah Valley — Allegretta 2-7, Urbanavage 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS: Minersville — McBreen.
SHENANDOAH — There is a new approach for Minersville’s football team and it seems like it’s working.
Nothing fancy, just a basic approach that the Battlin’ Miners were noted for in the past — I-formation and blast full bore ahead.
That simple approach and a strong defensive effort allowed Minersville to chalk up its first win of the season Friday, blanking Shenandoah Valley 21-0 in an Anthracite Football League game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Minersville scrapped its shotgun offense last week, and nearly pulled out a win over Mahanoy Area before falling by one point.
This time around the Miners did more than hang on, they dominated up and down the line of scrimmage, rushing 54 times for 206 yards while holding Shenandoah Valley to just 41 total yards of offense.
“There is nobody in the world that is going to tell me these aren’t the most resilient kids in the world,” Minersville coach Pat Mason said. “These kids have worked so hard this summer, no one quit, and I told them to go out and enjoy this victory. … It was very well deserved.”
The Battlin’ Miners (1-4, 1-4 AFL) set the tone on their first drive. Riding the feet of running backs Dave Schultz (22-72) and Aaron Griffiths (9-30), Minersville put together a 12-play, 6-minute drive that was capped by a 5-yard run by Kyle Lucas. Ryan Fink booted the first of his three placements to give Minersville a 7-0 lead.
“That was such a big drive for us to start the game,” Mason said. “I felt that we did a super job inside of controlling the line of scrimmage especially on that first touchdown we scored.”
Minersville upped its margin to 14-0 in the second quarter thanks to the play of two-way standout Jonathan McBreen. The Minersville quarterback/safety picked off an Ian McCole pass and returned 40 yards to the Devils 25. McBreen then took control on offense, directing the second touchdown drive.
After Schultz was stuffed twice for only 1 yard, McBreen called his own number on the next two plays. He raced 8 yards to the Devils’ 14, and then added 9 more to the 5-yard line. Schultz took it the final 5 yards to give the Miners a two-touchdown lead with four minutes to play in the opening half.
Minersville nearly had another score before the half as the Miners pounced on a fumble by the Blue Devils at the 35 following the kickoff.
Griffiths quickly raced 14 yards, added 4 more to the 17, and four plays later Minersville was less than a yard away from its third score.
Shenandoah Valley’s defense stopped a would-be score, dropping Dylan Stephen with a four-yard loss.
“You know that was big for them,” Mason said, “But we came out in the second half composed and hung in there, the way you need to in order to win football games.”
With 8:23 to play, Minersville put the game on ice behind reserve freshman quarterback Kei’dre Taylor, who directed a 13-play, 52-yard drive he polished off with a 6-yard TD run.
The loss drops Shenandoah Valley to 0-5 on the season. The Devils mustered just three first downs and had three turnovers.
“It’s tough, no doubt,” Shenandoah Valley head coach Randy Maksimik said. “We got a super effort from (Jeremy) Urbanavage and (Nick) Gurski; they played very well on both sides of the ball for us.
“It’s frustrating, that’s all I can say. We had all of 40-some yards of offense. You can’t win that way. We’ve got to get back to work (Monday).”