The Minersville Area Battlin' Miners triumphed over the Marian Catholic Colts in the District XI Class A Championship game at Blue Mountain in Orwigsburg on Friday.
The game kicked off with an explosive start as Minersville's Paiten LaPoint returned the opening kick for a touchdown, followed by a successful extra point by Carson Boyle, putting Minersville in the lead with 7 points to Marian Catholic's 0.
As the first quarter came to a close at the Eagles’ Nest, Miners maintained their lead at 7-0.
In the second quarter, quarterback Dante Carr connected with Lapointe for a 7-yard pass, extending Minersville's lead to 14-0 with 3:34 remaining in the quarter.
However, Marian Catholic fought back just before halftime when quarterback Bruce Hopeck threw a 12-yard pass to Jesse Rodino for a touchdown, bringing the score to Minersville 14, Marian Catholic 6.
The third quarter saw Marian Catholic gaining momentum as Hopeck led a drive down the field, capping it off with a 12-yard run at the 6:55 mark. Although the two-point conversion failed, Marian Catholic closed the gap to Minersville 14, Marian Catholic 12.
Minersville responded swiftly as Carr scrambled and launched a 25-yard pass to LaPoint for another touchdown. The successful extra point by Boyle brought the score to 21-12 with 3:59 left in the third quarter.
As the third quarter concluded, Miners held a 21-12 advantage.
In the final quarter, Minersville's Luke Stevenosky ran in a 12-yard touchdown, followed by Boyle's extra point, sealing the victory at Minersville 28, Marian Catholic 12.
With this win, Minersville Area clinched the District XI Class A championship, boasting a season record of 10-2. They now set their sights on the PIAA State Playoffs, where they are scheduled to face Lackawanna Trail on Friday at Blue Mountain in the opening round.
Marian Catholic concludes their season with a commendable record of 7-5.
Photos by Chris Keiser / Keiser Action Sports Photography
