The “Coal Bucket” game. Shamokin wants it. MCA owns it.

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Billy Splain | October 24, 2024

Mount Carmel – Shamokin: The Coal Bucket Game 

It’s 10 miles from Shamokin’s Kemp Memorial Stadium to Mount Carmel Area’s famed Silver Bowl. The school districts are divided by mountains that used to be full of coal. Now those mountains are nearly devoid of coal and machines that mined it stand silent, rusting in time. Sort of monuments to a bygone era. Now,  the coal industry is all but gone and these two small districts, made up of small coal town boroughs and one, an empty town, Centralia, that burns underground, all rest in an area that has one thing they still cherish, high school football.

It”s a series that actually began in 1908, MCA holds an 80-25-10 in the 115 games that have been played between the two teams. The series had been continuous since 1934 until the “No Game” in 2020 due to covid. This years game will be the 73^rd Coal Bucket game since 1951, with MCA holding a 55-15-2 and having a current 29 game winning streak since 1995. That year the Sam Scicchitano coached Indians pulled off a 15-0 win and brought the Coal Bucket back to Shamokin. It also marked the end of a successful run in the rivalry that saw Shamokin have it’s best success, an 8-3 run dating back to 1985. Sandwiching those years were a time of misery for the Indians.

Rob Oshinskie, owner of Victory Fitness, played for Shamokin from 1985-87. “We won this game twice. It was the game every coach, father, teacher, parent, player and fan talked about. It was talked about more than playoffs, championship, everything” said Oshinskie. “In 1985, we had not won the game in 17 years. People act like there’s a curse over this game. In those 17 years Shamokin won the Eastern Conference title but lost to MCA. We had a good team growing up. We pounded everyone in junior high, everyone except for MCA. That year, 1985, was the first time I personally can ever remember that we had a lead over MCA. When we took the lead we thought wow, we can really beat these guys.  Throughout my career I had some great moments but my two best are beating MCA. When the clock hit 00 in 1985, I remember vividly the place erupted, the field got swarmed and the level of elation you saw was unbelievable. It was like the town had been set free. The next morning we got together with friends and had a high all weekend”.

Carmen DeFranseco has been on both sides of the game. He coached at Shamokin from 2000-2006 and at MCA from 2010-2014.  “It’s very important. It’s paramount, at the top of everyone’s mind. “It’s hard to explain. I grew up in Mount Carmel, played at MCA. There its all about community” said DeFrancesco.  When I got to Berwick (Carm coached Berwick from 2019-2021) they said this game is huge, that one, Hazleton, WVW. It’s nothing compared to MCA/Shamokin. THAT’S a rivalry!

Me personally, I’ve been to this game 4 times. Three as a writer and once as a fan, my first being when I was seven years old. My aunt was a Shamokin graduate and in 1971 she took me to this game. Being from Berwick, at the age of seven I actually already understood the importance of high school football (It kinda helped that I lived a few doors down from famed coach George Curry). I remember vividly my aunt driving all over the area looking for purple ribbon to hang on the car. One store owner actually asked her if she was crazy. It’s that big of a game there. No purple ribbon within miles.

Why is this game so important? Defrancesco says “being at both places, I see the MCA and Shamokin people are the same. It’s like communities looking in a mirror. You know, the coal region has fallen on extremely hard times. This game is all about a sense of community pride. When i got the Indian job they (MCA) were the state champs. That year there was 9,500 at that game”.

Current MCA head coach John Darrah, when asked why this game is so huge, said “I thinks its, well, two of the most historic programs in the state. We both have great traditions, good teams. We (MCA) have most wins in the state. Both started playing football around the same time (1893). We’ve been playing for over 100 years. I’ll tell you how big it appears. In 2019 the Great American Rivalry Series followed us around that year. They went to the nursing homes and stuff with us, followed us all around. The guy, when I asked him how it compares to other games they saw, said it was the best one he’s seen. He said “some the the things you do, it’s amazing””.

“It’s different at MCA” said Defrancesco. There those kids expect to win this game. In 2010 I coached in the game for the first time. They would ask “Are you nervous”? Then they’d say don’t worry, they’re never gonna beat us. That’s how it is. Shamokin HOPES to win the game, MCA expects to win”.

Oshinskie says “Before the game on Thursday there was a bonfire, then pep rally. During the week both towns would harass each other. Throwing eggs, etc. These people were working together, betting on the game. There’d be fights at work. We’d have 8-10,000 people at this game. Three deep around the fence.  The level of excitement and passion is at another level. Year round there was tension. I’m not proud to say this, but we just didn’t like each other. Unlike the kids today, we didn’t hang out together.

Carmen had his chances with Shamokin teams. “In the 7 years I coached there we thought we would win, but we didn’t. Four of those years I thought we were better. But we didn’t win. In 2002 and 2003 we were 9-1. We didn’t beat them. In 2011 we were up and they ran a 99 yard quarterback sneak to win the game! How could it go on for 29 years? I’ve never seen anything like it”.

There have been some memorable games in this series.  One of the most memorable has to be the 33-32 OT win by MCA. “We were down and out.” said DeFrancesco. “I peeked across the field. The stands were empty. They scored and we blocked the extra point.  I remember trying to figure out a play, 4th and 12. We called a play we ran a thousand times and it worked. That was the year (Hall of Fame coach) Jazz Diminick passed away. We wore black jerseys in honor of him. We had to get special permission from the PIAA.

How special is this game? “Its something special, for us its very important” said Darrah. “We always have it circled. The games keeps our guys grounded. The last several years its been week 10 so it’s always in the back of their mind. We just have to get them to play loose”.

People just don’t understand, or have never seen, the spectacle that happens every week in Mount Carmel for a home game. For starters, there’s a parade the has like a dozen or so fire trucks (maybe less, not sure) that’s led by the cheerleaders and Marching Red Tornado Band that comes down Third street and right into the stadium gates.

“Its something (the game) everyone talks about said Darrah. “It’s just something that, even when it’s not in the present, its something that’s always talked about. The Parade, its long standing. The supper club too. There’s a lot that goes into it”. Now they have a brand new scoreboard. You can expect a fireworks show too. “Mr. Cheddar, our Superintendent, is just trying to create an atmosphere to honor the tradition that we have here. It was for years and years a Thanksgiving day game. There is just so much tradition. We had a legendary coach, Mike Terry, he had a heart attack after the game in 1961. We give out an award for that”.

Could this be the year the curse ends? Coach Marc Persing thinks so. But it’s his job to keep the team in check. “The message has been the same. It’s coaching 101. All x’s and o’s. We’re keeping it (the weekly routine) the same.  Can the players get caught up in the hype? “Stuff happens during this week. Rival fans going into each others towns. Taking down banners and stuff. I just think for a 17 year old kid it’s a normal week. They love it. They’re probably out participating it the “extra curricular stuff”. We don’t condone it, but they’re kids. What can you do?”

They certainly have the team that can win it.  As for what’s special about this years 9-0 Indians, coach Persing likes the diversity his team has. “Usually you have an offensive line and you need a quarterback, or you have a quarterback and need receivers. We aren’t dependent on certain age groups. We have a sophomore quarterback. A couple of junior receivers leading the team. Our lines are a mix of jrs and seniors. There is no certain year of player we are depending on. It’s just all spread out. Our guys, we challenge ourselves on a daily basis. They love compete”.

“This team, they have a free spirit’ said DeFrancesco who has been helping Persing throughout the season. (Persing played for Shamokin when Carm was a coach).  They’re gamers. This is a special team. The kids know they have a shot but they aren’t worried.

“I see this year similar to 85” said Oshinski. “We had not won in 17 years. We had some tough guys, George Zalar and Dave Grimes getting D1 looks”. Rob went on to play for Bucknell. “My senior year Jim Fabian, 23 sacks senior year. Entire line played college football. MCA had a stud named Dan Ficka and  Larry Czeponis who was my Bucknell teammate, Dan Golwatski. We were winning at halftime my junior year but lost 8-7. This Shamokin team is very similar”.

Let’s be clear though. It won’t be easy to win a game that the Red Tornado’s expect to win. The 7-2 Red Tornado’s are a tough team. Quarterback Gavin Marshalek’s streak of passes without an interception was stopped at 115 last week and that established a new record at MCA.  Marshalek is now 120 of 188 for 1588 yards and 14 TDs. His 120 completions currently rank as the 4^th best season ever at MCA. His career total of 2305 has moved him into 10 spot. His 167 career completions also rank 11^th and needs 10 to move into the 10^th spot now occupied by Vic Kornaski. MCA has a tough line too, and they’ve paved the way for 1,600 yards on the ground. Their two losses were to 3A teams, one of them Danville who is the PFN #2 team in the state.

The tradition continues Friday night at the Silver Bowl in Mount Carmel. No matter what the outcome, you can be assured that, just like the last 73 Coal Bucket games, this one will also be talked about for years. And if you don’t know about it, check out the history of the Silver Bowl HERE.

Special thanks to MCA Statistician Jose Gonzalo

 See Coal Bucket History Below…..

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