Minersville’s football team played swift and lethal Friday evening.

Obviously on a mission in the 10th and final regular season game for both teams, the Miners have bigger things to look forward to after breezing to an impressive 43-0 victory over Panther Valley.

The win now sets the stage for Minersville to host the opening round of the District 11 Class 2A tournament against Executive Charter. Panther Valley closes 2024 at 2-9.

Minersville cracked the whip from the get-go, turning to its leader and superb quarterback Dante Carr.

In a New York City heartbeat, Carr lifted his team to back-to-back touchdown drives in building a 15-0 lead. It took just three plays to hit the end zone, traversing 42 yards.

Carr completed the first of his eight passes, flipping a short toss to speedy junior Paiten LaPoint, who zip-lined his way to the Panther Valley 21. Then on Carr’s next toss he found fellow junior Matthew Dubi in the back of the end zone on a perfectly thrown touchdown pass. Easton Schultz pranced into the end zone for the deuce and an 8-0 lead.

The Panthers didn’t let the quick score get them out of sync. They tried answering using eight plays before turning the ball over on downs at their 47.

Then Air Carr let things fly once again. And again he found LaPoint with a 52-yard pass to the Panthers’ 1. Schultz cracked in for the second touchdown of the night Jordan Bowers made it 15-0.

Minersville head coach Justin Frantz said it was all game-planned to get Carr into the air attack.

“We wanted to work on (passing) because we’ve been harassing Carr (about his running),” Frantz said laughing, alluding to Carr’s 1,124 yards rushing this season heading into last evening’s game.

His passing stats aren’t shabby either 80-142 and 1,536 yards with 20 touchdowns. Before the night was over, Carr added another TD pass, this one a 5-yard strike to senior wide receiver Logan Hutsko.

“Dante’s amazing, just one-of-a-kind athlete,” said Hutsko, who had three catches for 37 yards. “Panther Valley always plays us hard. We’re finally hitting our stride going into the playoffs.”

Panthers head coach Mark Lavine agrees.

“With how well he runs, it’s hard to contain him,” the PV coach said. “He’s hard to get to, and when he scrabbles he throws it so well. A couple of balls he had thrown and he did it on the run.”

Hutsko put his team up 22-0 on the Minersville’s first offensive series of the second quarter. The Miners marched 69 yards on seven plays. Hutsko caught a 24-yard completion to open the series. Schultz added a 5-yard catch, then Carr raced to the 10 before adding five more yards. On the next play, Carr and Hutsko finished off the drive with 5-yard completion.

Panther Valley was chasing all night and when it did get the ball, it struggled to sustain drives. And it was having a huge problem trying to block linebackers Owen Fortna and Alex Hallford.

“We needed a big win going into the playoffs,” said Hallford, a senior, adding that keying on the guards led to his big night of helping to shutdown the Panther Valley running attack. “I read the guards. They take you to the play.”

Before halftime settled in, the visitors were tagging on two more touchdowns. LaPoint, a quick and elusive runner, picked up his puppies on a scintillating 72-yard return to the house to send the Miners in front 29-0.

Fortna said his team didn’t have such a great week of practice before snapping out of it on Wednesday.

“We were really slow in practice and we kind of underestimated these guys,” said the standout two-way player. “But we picked it up and we needed to finish things strong.”

Minersville kicked in the running clock when Schutlz bolted 11 yards for another touchdown. He also added a 29-yard scamper in the drive. LaPoint and Carr hooked up for a 24-yard pass play in before Schultz ducked into the end zone. Minersville set the final numbers thanks to Derek Derenzo who blazed 60 yards on a quarterback run, before Gavin Allan capped the 80-yard drive from a yard out.

“It’s been our story all year… we stall out on drives, whether it’s penalty or a (mistake),” Lavine explained. “We thought we’d turn the corner this year, but we didn’t. We got to build the program, from junior high to (junior varsity). The weight room is where it all begins for next season.”

ON TO DISTRICTS...The Miners (7-3) will begin the second season Friday. They will be the No. 4 seed in an eight-team Class 2A bracket where Schuylkill Haven (9-1), Williams Valley (9-1) and Northern Lehigh (7-3) earned the top three seeds, respectively. Minersville will host either Executive or Pen Argyl in the first round.

BEEN A WHILE...The shutout was the third of the season by the Miners, but the first since Aug. 30 as they had given up 14 or more points in each of their last seven games.

BOWING OUT...It was senior night for the Panthers as they bid adieu to seven players - Brady Jones, Brennan Kunkel, Frank Schubeck, Clinton Dyer, Mike Williams, Martt Hoyum, Zack Seifert and Logan Fisher.

GRINDING IT…The Panthers just couldn’t get their offense on track. Brennan Kunkel a had just one sizeable run of 20 yards. Justin Jones raced 16 yards after a pass catch and Banneravage peeled off a 15-yard run in the third quarter.

CARR IMPRESSIVE…Carr is getting his looks at the D-I level. Penn State has been hot on him since his freshman year. He 6-5, 220 with very good speed.

Minersville 43, Panther Vy. 0

Minersville 15 14 7 7 - 43

Panther Valley 0 0 0 0 - 0

M – Dubi 21 pass from Carr (Schultz pass)

M – Schutlz run (Bowers kick)

M – Hutsko 5 pass from Carr (Bowers kick)

M – LaPoint 72 punt return (Bowers kick)

M – Schultz 11 run (Bowers kick)

M – Allan 1 run (Bowers kick)