2024 Football Preview: Minersville Battlin’ Miners

Head Coach: Justin Frantz

Assistant Coaches:
Chad Marquardt
Jesse White
Dan Hopkins
Dylan Reber
Gino Yourey
Tony Klazas
Ed Moran
Matt Hirsch
Scott Yagielniskie
Joe Kavanaugh
Jeff Cutler
Noah Charowsky
Steve Young

Team Name: Minersville Battlin’ Miners

District: 11

Class: 2A

League: Colonial-Schuylkill League, White Division

2023 Record: 10-3 (District XI A Champions)

8/25 @ Tri-Valley (A) 7:00 pm W 38-34
9/01 @ Marian Catholic (A) 7:00 pm W 41-39
9/10 Shenandoah Valley (AA) 3:00 pm W 48-7
9/15 Williams Valley (AA) 7:00 pm L 28-31 OT
9/21 @ Panther Valley* (AA) 7:00 pm W 41-28
9/29 Pen Argyl* (AA) 7:00 pm W 35-20
10/06 @ Catasauqua* (AA) 7:00 pm W 30-28
10/13 Palisades* (AA) 7:00 pm W 38-12
10/20 @ Schuylkill Haven* (AA) 7:00 pm L 28-35
10/27 Nativity BVM (A) 7:00 pm W 42-12
11/03 Nativity BVM (A) 7:00 pm W 19-13 OT
11/10 Marian Catholic (A) 7:00 pm W 28-12
11/17 Lackawanna Trail (A) 7:00 pm L 0-40

Key Starters Lost:
Luke Stevenosky RB, LB
Cade Schultz OT, DT
Carson Boyle K
Lorenzo Yourey WR, DE
Blake Wesler WR, DB
Marques Barnhart OL, DL
Emiliano Conklin OL, LB

Offensive Starters Returning:
Dante Carr QB
Logan Hutsko WR
Paiten Lapoint WR
AJ Halford OL
Owen Fortna C
Aiden Boom OL
Dom Yourey OL
Easton Schultz RB
Jake Kavanaugh WR
Matt Dube WR

Defensive Starters Returning:
Logan Hutsko DB
AJ Halford LB
Owen Fortna DE
Aiden Boom DL
Dom YoureyDL
Easton Schultz DB
Jake Kavanaugh DB
Logan Rizzardi LB
Matt Dube LB
Ethan Borrell DL

Special Team Starters Returning:
Dante Carr, P
Easton Schultz, LS

Key Newcomers:
Trustin Diehl OL, DL
Gavin Spirko OL, DL
TJ Bowers WR, DB
Justin Cutler WR, DB
Derek Derenzo QB, WR, DB
Jayce Rizzardi OL, DL
Peyton Killian OL, DL
Colby Leshko OL, DL
Tyrell Moore WR, DB
Hunter Pytak OL, DL
Cameryn Quinones OL, DL
Grady McGovern WR, LB
Gavin Allen RB, LB
Gavin Nozouvsky OL, DL
Kael Schwartz OL, DL

2024 Outlook:
Offense: We need to replace Luke Stevenosky, the second leading rusher in PA last season. It will be a very difficult thing to do, but we have a few kids who are ready to step in and play the running back position. We will be looking to throw the ball more this season with Dante Carr and a bunch of returning receivers – Logan Hutsko, Jake Kavanaugh, Matt Dube, Kaseem Lofton, Paiten Lapoint, and others who will be threats on the outside.

Defense: We need to replace some key leaders from last season and two of our leading tacklers, Luke Stevenosky, Cade Schultz, and Lorenzo Yourey were all four year starters who played a ton of football for us and will be tough to replace. Blake Wesler was a key member of secondary who also needs to be replaced. With 8+ returners who started at some point in the season there will be a lot of experience that will be fighting over those positions. So far in the summer we have had real good competitions for various spots. We may be rotating in a lot of kids and expect a lot of influence from different spots.

Special Team: Jordan Bowers joins the team and will be playing football and soccer this season. He is a sophomore with a big time leg and will be a key piece of our special teams on extra points and kickoffs.