Shenandoah Valley gave its homecoming crowd another reason to celebrate Friday night, defeating Minersville 33-28 for its first football victory over the Battlin’ Miners in exactly 11 years.
The , victory came 11 years to the day after the Blue Devils last defeated Minersville on October 2, 2015.
Shenandoah Valley improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Schuylkill League Division 2 play. Minersville dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the division.
Nunez Scores Four Touchdowns for Shenandoah Valley
Joel Nunez scored four touchdowns to lead Shenandoah Valley, reaching the end zone three times on the ground and once through the air.
Quarterback Ethan Bench threw two touchdown passes, including an 82-yard scoring strike to David Burrous.
Shenandoah Valley opened a 9-0 lead in the first quarter behind a 35-yard field goal from Sam Mentusky and a 66-yard touchdown run by Nunez.
Blue Devils Carry Narrow Lead Into Halftime
Minersville scored 14 points during the second quarter, including a 24-yard touchdown run by Derek Derenzo.
Shenandoah Valley answered with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bench to Nunez and carried a 15-14 lead into halftime.
The Blue Devils scored twice during the third quarter on touchdown runs of 8 and 3 yards by Nunez. Derenzo added a 47-yard touchdown run for Minersville, leaving Shenandoah Valley ahead 27-21 entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams added a touchdown in the final period. Burrous caught an 82-yard touchdown pass from Bench for Shenandoah Valley, while Rodgers hauled in a 23-yard scoring pass from Kushon Sims for Minersville.
Final Score by Quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenandoah Valley | 9 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 33 |
| Minersville | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Shenandoah Valley Moves Into Second Place
The victory, combined with Schuylkill Haven’s loss, moves Shenandoah Valley into second place behind Williams Valley in Schuylkill League Division 2.
The Blue Devils and Marian Catholic both stand at 2-1 in division play. Shenandoah Valley holds the head-to-head advantage following its Week 5 victory over the Colts.
At 5-1, Shenandoah Valley also shares the best record among District XI Class 2A teams with Northern Lehigh.
Next Week’s Games
Shenandoah Valley will host Schuylkill Haven, which enters the matchup with a 2-4 record. Minersville will return home to face Williams Valley.
