Marian Catholic is 2-8 against Minersville since October of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. Marian Catholic will host Minersville at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Minersville will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Marian Catholic extended their winning streak to five on Friday. Everything went Marian Catholic's way against Mahanoy Area as they made off with a 35-13 win. The result was nothing new for Marian Catholic, who have now won three matchups by 22 points or more so far this season.
Marian Catholic got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Jake Tom out in front who picked up 104 receiving yards and one touchdown, and also rushed for 61 yards and one score. Tom got the majority of those receiving yards when he pulled down a pass and took off for a gain of 65 yards. Another back making a difference was Rory Dixon, who gained 98 total yards and two touchdowns.
Marian Catholic didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. Dante Tate picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Minersville came up short against Schuylkill Haven last Thursday and fell 48-38. The Battlin' Miners haven't had much luck with the Hurricanes recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Marian Catholic will have to contain Dante Carr as he made an impact in Minersville's last game. He rushed for 143 yards and a pair of TDs while picking up 7.9 yards per carry, and also threw for 215 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Carr's rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his third straight game with at least 143 rushing yards. Ty Atkinson was Carr's top target, picking up 89 receiving yards and one score.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Minersville, adding 14 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Paiten Lapoint, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
Marian Catholic's win bumped their record up to 5-0. As for Minersville, their loss dropped their record down to 3-2.
Saturday's contest might be decided on the ground. Marian Catholic has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 159 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Minersville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 198.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Marian Catholic didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Minersville in their previous meeting back in September of 2024, but they still walked away with a 20-14 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Carr, who rushed for 101 yards on only ten carries, and also threw for 72 yards and a pair of TDs. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Marian Catholic still be able to contain Carr? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
