2021 PFN Team Preview: The Minersville Area Battlin’ Miners @MinersFB @shayne_schafer @MinersvilleA @CoachFrantzJ

Tagged under: Conference Previews, District 11, News

Billy Splain | July 10, 2021

Minersville Area Battlin’ Miners PFN Page

PIAA District 11 – Class AA
League: Schuylkill Colonial League – White

Head Coach Justin Frantz

Assistant Coaches
Jeff Polinsky
Dylan Reber
Matt Hirsch
Chad Marquardt
Gino Yourey
Dan Hopkins
Dave King
Joe Kavanaugh
Scott Yagielniskie
Mike Litwak

2020 Season Record 4-4

2021 Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME/SCORE
08-21	@ Northern Lebanon (SCR)		10:00 am
08-27	@ Tri-Valley (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-03	vs. Marian Catholic (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-10	@ Shenandoah Valley (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-17	vs. Williams Valley (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-24	@ Mahanoy Area (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-01	vs. Pine Grove (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-08	vs. Catasauqua (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-15	@ Schuylkill Haven (0-0) *	Rotary Field	7:00 pm
10-22	@ Palmerton (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-29	vs. Nativity BVM (0-0)		7:00 pm

* – denotes league game
(SCR) – denotes scrimmage

What are your expectations for your team this year?
Better numbers this year will help this to be one of the youngest and most athletic teams Minersville has had in a long time. We’re hoping to be able to put a lot of pressure on other teams with our athleticism and speed and spread defenses our vertically and horizontally. Our goal is to use that speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball to make the district 11 AA playoffs for the second straight year. Even though we are young, we return a lot of starters on both sides of the ball after losing only 4 seniors. Getting everyone experience last year should be a key to this season.

When your team is on offense, what are the keys to success?
We will keep our spread offense, and continue to rely heavily on the passing game to set up the run. Having 3 of our 4 top receivers back this season will help to ease the loss of All State WR Gabe Davis. The biggest key will be finding the right fit on the offensive line to give enough time for our pass game. The line may look undersized at some spots but they are all athletic and love working in the weight room. This, along with a great group of running backs, should help to have a stronger running game than we have had in a couple years.

When your team is on defense, what are the keys to success?
We need to fly to the ball and tackle well. With more people up front and linebackers the key will be how we stop the run game. With our athleticism in the secondary, it will be very hard for teams to consistently pass on us, so we need to be ale to stop the run. A ton of returning experience should help play faster and more physical this season. We return a secondary that intercepted 10 passes last season so they will cause fits for teams trying to air it out.

Key Starters Lost
Gabe Davis – WR / DE
Taylor McGovern – OL / DL
Dyllan Smith – OL / DL
Jimmy Chicora – OL / DL

Offensive Starters Returning
Sr. OT Jason Petrozino 6’0 215
Sr. OL Luke Tobin 6’0 205
Jr. OL Ronnie Beach 5’9 265
Sr. ATH Jared Graeff 5’11 175
Sr. ATH Johnny Adams 5’11 175
Jr. ATH Brock Polinsky 5’11 170
Soph. ATH Lorenzo Yourey 6’1 175
Soph. ATH Luke Stevenosky 5’9 175

Defensive Starters Returning
Sr. DE Luke Tobin 6’0 205
Sr. DL Jason Petrozino 6’0 215
Jr. DL Ronnie Beach 5’9 265
Sr. DB Jared Graeff 5’11 175
Sr. DB Johnny Adams 5’11 175
Jr. DB Brock Polinsky 5’11 170
Jr. LB James Dube 5’9 170
Soph. LB Luke Stevenosky 5’9 175
Sr. LB Dakota Fitzpatrick 5’6 155
Sr. DL Mike Rizzardi 5’11 195

Special Team Starters Returning
Sr. K/P Johnny Adams

Key Newcomers
Sr. ATH Adam Frie
Sr. ATH Tristan Miller
Sr. ATH Jacoby Rumpf
Sr. OL/DL Ricky Soto
Sr. ATH Demonte Watson- Henry
Jr. ATH Blake Brown
Jr. ATH Aidan Heffron
Jr. ATH Aaron Laudeman
Jr. ATH Connor Beck
Jr. ATH Aaron Laudeman
Jr. ATH Nolan Ponter
Jr. ATH Ray Snyder
Soph. OL/DL Algenis Almonte
Soph. OL/DL Cade Schultz
Soph. OL/DL Marques Barnhart
Soph. OL/DL Juan Perez
Fr. OL/DL Aiden Boom
Fr. ATH Robert Bruce
Fr. OL/DL Owen Fortna
Fr. OL/DL Gavin Frie
Fr. OL/DL AJ Halford
Fr. ATH Isaiah Halupa
Fr. ATH Logan Hutsko
Fr. ATH Zak Hossler
Fr. ATH Jake Kavanaugh
Fr. OL/DL Logan Rizzardi

Players we should keep an eye on?
Connor Schwalm,
Brock Polinsky,
Johnny Adams,
Jared Graeff,
Luke Stevenosky,
Lorenzo Yourey,
Luke Tobin,
Jason Petrozino

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