MINERSVILLE — Call them opportunistic. Call them darn lucky.
But most of all — for the second week in a row — call the Blue Devils of Shenandoah Valley winners.
Being shut out until scoring the tying touchdown with 3:25 left in Friday’s Anthracite Football League game at Minersville, the Devils (2-3, 2-3 AFL) scored again with 5.2 seconds remaining for a 12-6 victory that was as exhilarating for them as it was devastating for the Battlin’ Miners (0-5, 0-5 AFL).
“They say if a team can find a way to hang around long enough, sometimes it can find a way to win,” Shenandoah Valley coach Kevin Bolinsky said. “For three quarters we couldn’t move the ball, but we hung in there defensively until we finally got some breaks.”
To set up its final drive, Shenandoah made its own break to go 57 yards in six plays in 1:28 after recovering a fumble at its 43. Quarterback Ian McCole was 5-for-5 passing for the final 52 yards — including a 6-yard touchdown to Joel Santana.
On the game-tying drive, the Devils went 43 yards in eight plays, benefiting from a call on Minersville for a personal foul after a third-down incompletion. On the play, the Minersville defensive back gave the Shenandoah receiver one of those “Hey, I’m here” taps on the shoulder pads, setting up a first down at the 28 instead of fourth-and-10 at the 43.
Two 11-yard runs by Jeremy Urbanavage — the second on a second-and-18 — led to fourth-and-7 at the 14. On fourth down, McCole completed a 10-yard pass to Santana to the 4, and Urbanavage scored on the next play.
That fourth-down completion began six consecutive completions by McCole to end the game. Santana and Urbanavage each had six receptions for a combined 137 yards.
“One or two plays don’t win or lose a game, and no matter what we think of that personal foul call, referees don’t win or lose games,” Minersville coach Pat Mason said. “All we had to do was get a few first downs there at the end, but we couldn’t make the plays.”
An interception by Jon McBreen at the Minersville 5 stopped the Devils in the first quarter, and the Miners got the game’s first break early in the second quarter when a high snap in punt formation resulted in a 22-yard loss for the Devils. On the next play, Aaron Griffiths ran 31 yards for a touchdown, carrying at least five defenders the final 5 yards.
Minersville stopped the Devils twice on fourth down in the fourth quarter, including a 10-yard sack by Ken Yurkonis at his 16. On third down, however, the Miners lost a fumble, but held the Devils on downs.
“Our kids just hung together and never lost their confidence,” Bolinsky said. “Our defense would bend, but we never broke, and that gave us a chance to win.”
Which, after all, is what winning teams usually do.
Game Summary
SV (2-3, 2-3) 0 0 0 12 — 12
Min (0-5, 0-5) 0 6 0 0 — 6
Min — Griffiths 31 run (kick failed)
SV — Urbanavage 4 run (kick failed)
SV — Santana 6 pass from McCole (kick failed)
SV Min
First Downs 13 11
Rushes-Yards 29-27 38-146
Passes 14-31-1 3-10-0
Passing Yards 159 34
Total Yards 186 180
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 4-2
Penalties 6-50 9-83
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Shenandoah Valley — Urbanavage 7-29, McCole 17-18, Florio 1-3, Allegretta 2-2, Morales 1-(-3), Team 1-(-22). Minersville — Griffiths 12-92, Fekette 12-29, Bethea 5-27, Stephen 1-2, Taylor 7-(-1), Miklesavage 1-(-3).
PASSING: Shenandoah Valley — McCole 14-31-1, 159. Minersville — Taylor 3-10-0, 34.
RECEIVING: Shenandoah Valley — Santana 6-77, Urbanavage 6-60, Allegretta 1-11, Guyers 1-11. Minersville — Fekette 2-10, Stephen 1-24.
INTERCEPTIONS: Minersville — McBreen