MINERSVILLE — The man asked: Who would have thought it … not even God was the answer.

Marian Catholic’s football team sent thunder through the air at Minersville High School’s Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday evening, pulling off the season’s biggest upset in Week 6, staving off the hosts in overtime 20-14.

It gave first-year coach Billy O’Gurek a signature win, as well. Consider where the Colts came from to get this huge win. They lost to heavy underdog Mahanoy Area just six days ago, had 12 players injured and not suited up, and saw another player go down in the overtime.

The way this thing transpired is still perplexing.

Marian had a chance to win it in regulation, botched a fourth-and-goal at the half-yard line with an offside call. Less than a minute later, Sam Turrano gobbled up a Minersville fumble at the Miners’ 48. The Colts proceeded to drive deep into enemy territory only to get stymied again.

But Dame Fortune has a strange way of keeping herself planted on the right side.

Minersville never could garner momentum as regulation came to an end.

“I’ll tell you, the players bailed me out,” O’Gurek said of being foiled at the half-yard line.

Marian surged ahead when superb sophomore running back Rory Dixon bounced into the end zone on a second down two-yard run.

Minersville was flagged for a penalty and the ball was a yard-and-half away from the goal line. Instead of kicking, the Colts tried going for the deuce, but to no avail. O’Gurek was reminded of that, and he just knew Lady Fortune was standing on the Marian sideline.

“I thought we had a shot,” O’Gurek said when asked about the outcome. “We lost three guys on the offensive line. … I told our guys that we were going to have to play clean and control the clock.”

Indeed, it was clean and the plan worked to perfection.

Yet the outcome still was in doubt since Minersville had its chance to tie or win it.

Minersville quarterback Dante Carr gave his team a big boost on first down with a four-yard run. He added two more on second down, but on third down Chase Hower twisted Carr to the ground for a 5-yard loss. The play sent Carr to the sideline with an injury and a fourth-down pass attempt fell incomplete.

During the four quarters, Marian controlled the line of scrimmage from end to end, running off 62 plays, 33 in the first half. The Colts limited Minersville to 44 offensive plays, with just 19 in the first half.

The game plan found Marian milking the clock from its first possession. Its defense did its best to limit Carr and contain running backs Easton Schult and Logan Rizzardi, and not allowing Paiten LaPoint to run free in the secondary.

When Marian got the ball for the second time, Dixon (33 carries for 143 yards) scored from 1-yard out to complete a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Marian’s time of possession was nearly seven minutes, with the touchdown coming in the second quarter.

Minersville answered with an 8-play 61-yard drive, as Rizzardi led the way with runs of 3, 45 and 9 yards, before Carr found LaPoint for a 6-yard score.

Marian answered with maybe its most prolific drive of the season.

With 5:56 to play, the Colts were going on a 54-yard march with just two passes by senior quarterback Dylan Rodino. He put the Colts in grand possession to take a 14-7 halftime lead, connecting with Mike Gelatko at the 2 before Dixon dove into the end zone for the go-ahead TD.

The Miners opened the second half with an 8-play, 61-yard march to the end zone. Carr found Matt Dube with a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Other than the standout defensive play by the Miners to keep Marian out of the end zone as regulation came to a close, neither team could make a big play to take command.

“When we didn’t get that touchdown, I felt that we had to play harder,” said Marian’s Tyler Price, one of several Colts who stood out on the defensive side of the ball.

Aiden Milkovits said that the team had to make plays, especially after coming up short in regulation.

“We never lost our confidence,” said Milkovits, a 6-1, 265-pound two-way senior. “We just had to continue to make plays.”

QUOTABLE … “He’s a great player… great player, I don’t think we’re going to play against a quarterback like him for a long time.” O’Gurek on Carr’s talents.

DEFENDING … The key was the way Marian’s secondary played from start to finish. In addition to Price, Hunter Sartori and Mike Johnson were ever-present in the secondary.

A DO IT ALL … Carr rushed for 90 yards on 9 carries and picked off a pass late in the game to sustain Minersville’s hopes of winning. Teammate Alex Halford was dynamite for the Miners on both sides of the ball.

COLT QB … Rodino played a steady game at quarterback for the Colts and completed six passes for 66 yards.

Marian 20, Minersville 14

Marian 0 14 0 0 6 -20

Minersville 0 7 7 0 0 - 14

MC - Dixon 1 run (Bushati kick)

M - LaPoint 6 pass from Carr (Bowers kick)

MC - Dixon 2 run (Bushati kick)

M - Dube 9 pass from Carr (Bowers kick)

MC - Dixon 2 run (run failed)