SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - The Marian-Minersville rematch lived up to its hype.

And Minersville lived up to the role of favorite in the District 11 Class A championship game.

Minersville sophomore Paiten LaPoint returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and the top-seeded Battlin’ Miners never trailed en route to a 28-12 victory.

Minersville takes a 10-2 record into the opening round of the state playoffs. Second-seeded Marian finishes the season 7-5.

In the second game of the season, Minersville beat Marian in a 41-39 offensive display. This game featured a little more defense.

“You just don’t come in and think Marian is going to be a pushover,” Minersville head coach Justin Frantz said. “Any time you get a Marian-Minersville you know it’s going to be a battle.

“From the opening kickoff, what a battle, back and forth ... (you) know a coach (Stan) Dakosty team is never going to beat themselves. You gotta be pretty spot on.”

That spot-on Frantz was referencing, showed right after Marian had pulled to within two points at 14-12 in the third quarter.

Minersville thwarted the Colts’ rally with LaPoint and highly regarded sophomore quarterback Dante Carr carrying the Miners.

Using a nifty six-play, 57-yard drive, Minersville scored when Carr, buying time by scrambling, found LaPoint in the back of the endzone and Minersville took a 21-12 lead with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

Marian’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Butch Hutzko picked off a pass and returned it to the Marian 7.

Minersville put the game away when Luke Stevenosky scored with 1:57 left.

“I can’t say enough how hard our kids played,” Dakosty said. “It was a tough battle, Minersville is very well-coached team. They did a lot of nice things, they executed and they made plays. We were close to doing the things we needed to win a ball game of this importance, to beat a team the caliber of Minersivlle.”

LaPoint scored the Miners’ first three touchdowns - the first two being the kickoff return and then a 6-yard pass reception from Carr for a 14-0 lead.

Marian got the scoreboard with 33 seconds left in the first half.

The Colts put together a 6-play drive hitting the end zone when Hopeck found Jess Rodino in the flat uncovered for a 12-yard touchdown to cut the Marian then took the second half kickoff and drove 62 yards in 9 plays riding the legs of Jess Rodino (11 carries, 73 yards in the game) and freshman Roary Dixon (13 carries, 53 yards in the game) in the drive. The big play was a 29-yard pass to Noah McGuire. Hopeck finished off the drive when he zipped 12 yards to the end zone to bring Marian within 14-12.

“That point in time we had our confidence sky high,” Dakosty said. “But we then made some mistakes.”

Minersville the took control, scoring twice and claiming the district title.

LaPoint got his third touchdown of the game on a 20-yard pass from Carr.

Marian never recovered, trailing 21-12. Minersville’s defense forced a turnover with 2:41 to play, then called on its most productive running back Stevenosky to for the game’s final touchdown.

UNFORTUNATE INJURY

... Dylan Rodino, one of the five Rodino brothers on tghe team, broke his leg during a kick return.

TOUGH BACK ...

Stevenosky is a true bulldog. He was getting bounced by the Marian defense. The Colts kept seeking and most of the times, finding the 5-11, 230-pound back who finished with a standout performance.

LAST DANCE

... Marian’s top-heavy seniors took their final bows. A total of 10, Hopeck, Kash, Brandon Klitsch, McGuire, J.T. Price, James and Jessie Rodino, Mike Silliman, Dylan Zullo. Also gone next season is Jayden Fermin, who was lost for the season with a foot injury against Nativity.