Minersville’s Camden Rogers (5) makes a contested catch against Halifax’s Joseph Witmer (10) during the 27-7 win for Minersville on Friday evening at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Minersville. Photo credit to Kelly Wiley.
MINERSVILLE – Derek Derenzo connected with Jordan Bowers for two touchdowns as Minersville (1-0) handled Halifax (0-1) by a score of 27-7 on Friday night at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium.
Before the first snap of the game, the Wildcats were given a false start penalty. On the first play of the Miners season following the penalty, freshman lineman Harmon Leshko recovered a fumble in his first varsity appearance.
“He’s been getting ready for this for years,” Minersville head coach Justin Frantz said.
Several plays after the recovered fumble, Derenzo threw his first interception of the game to Brayden Midile in the end zone. Halifax drove all the way down the field and after three near interceptions in the red zone, the Miners defense created a turnover on downs.
Following the defensive stop, Derenzo turned on the jets and ran 87 yards for a Minersville touchdown with less than a minute left in the opening quarter to make the game 7-0 (Bowers PAT). The Miners would have kept the ball on a successful onside kick recovered by freshman Kushon Simms, but an illegal procedure penalty took that away.
After a three and out by the Wildcats offense, Derenzo connected with Bowers for a 42-yard score in the air to make the score 14-0 with another extra point made by Jordan Bowers.
Another three and out for Halifax gave Minersville the ball and they almost scored again. However, John Lutsky fumbled right on the goal line to give the Wildcats the ball back at their own 20 yard line.
The Miners defense made another fourth down stop on a fourth and ten. With no time left in the half, Derenzo found Bowers downfield for a 35 yard touchdown to make the score 20-0 heading into the locker room. The two-point conversion pass attempt by Derenzo fell incomplete. Coach Frantz said after the game that Bowers must have jumped around 14 feet in the air to catch that ball in the end zone.
Lutsky scored on a four yard pitch from Derenzo and Bowers followed up with another converted extra point to make the score 27-0 in favor of the Battlin’ Miners.
With 2:46 left in the third quarter, Eli Miller ran 11 yards for a Halifax touchdown (Midile PAT) to make the score 27-7.
With around seven minutes left in the game, Derenzo threw his second interception of the night. Thankfully, Minersville did their job and got Halifax off the field. From there, the Miners offense ran and got a first down, then took two knees to wrap up week one.
For Bowers, this was his first game in three years of football where he played wide receiver for most of the game, rather than one or two plays a game like last season. With two athletic touchdown catches today, teams on Minersville’s schedule cannot forget about him now.
For a younger and less experienced Battlin’ Miners team, this was a good opportunity to see what they can do well and what will need improving as they get ready to travel to Jim Thorpe (0-1) next week, who fell to Blue Mountain 48-0. Halifax will host Tri-Valley (0-1) who is coming off a 14-7 defeat to Line Mountain.
Game summary
Minersville 27, Halifax 7
Miners (1-0) – 7 13 7 0 27
Halifax (0-1) – 0 0 0 7
Miners – Derenzo 87 run (Bowers PAT)
Miners – Bowers 42 pass from Derenzo (Bowers PAT)
Miners – Bowers 35 pass from Derenzo (2-pt conversion failed)
Miners – Lutsky 4 run (Bowers PAT)
Halifax – Miller 11 run (Midile PAT)
