Photo by Kelly Wiley

MINERSVILLE — There are some big shoes to fill on the Minersville football team and Easton Schultz knows the task at hand.

The 2023 football season was a memorable one for the Battlin’ Miners. Graduated tailback Luke Stevenosky paced the Miners to a 10-3 season that was capped with District 11 Class A championship win over Marian 28-12 and a trip to the PIAA Class A state playoffs. It was Minersville’s first District 11 title in 20 years.

Stevenosky left his mark on Minersville’s program, breaking every rushing record with 4,071 yards and 57 touchdowns, and adding 315 career tackles. He racked up a grocery list of awards and first-team sections, including a Mini Maxwell Award and a spot on the WNEP Dream Team.

While Stevenosky was cementing his legacy in blue, Easton Schultz was not only focused on his job on the field, but also observing what attributes made Stevenosky a standout.

“(Luke) is always very focused when it comes to practice and being in the game,” Schultz said. “He doesn’t take plays off, and if you want to be one of the best, that’s what you have to do. I’m just trying to fill in his footsteps.”

Schultz is no stranger to the gridiron. A season ago he caught 11 passes for 98 yards and a TD on a loaded offense that featured Stevenosky in the backfield, quarterback Dante Carr and a host of receiving targets including Lorenzo Yourey, Logan Hutsko and Paiten LaPoint. Schultz made his biggest impact a season ago defensively, racking up 58 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. His second interception sealed a 19-13 win in overtime over Nativity in the District 11 semifinal.

“We have very good players coming back all around,” Schultz said. “Dante is a big threat running and passing the ball. Our wide receivers have been working a lot. When we can’t run the ball, we’ll throw it, either will work.”

Schultz is aware of the work that Stevenosky put into becoming a record smasher for Minersville. He doesn’t shy away from the pressure involved, while understanding that this has been a continual process from his freshman year. Some highlights of Schultz’s offseason workouts include the typical strength and agility training most athletes do, but also factoring in other aspects.

“Obviously, I’ve been doing speed, agility and strength training,” Schultz said, “but also working on explosiveness and power hitting the hole.

“Luke helps me out a lot,” he continued. “He’s at practice with me almost every day he can be. We’ll stay after and he just gives me all the workouts he’s been doing. Luke has me doing it all, resistance bands and everything. I want to be explosive and quick.”

Alongside Schultz, the Battlin’ Miners return Carr at quarterback and Hutsko and LaPoint outside. Other key returnees include A.J. Halford, Logan Rizzardi, Jake Kavanaugh, Aiden Boom, Owen Fortna, Dominico Yourey, Garrett Sukeena and Matthew Dube.

Key graduation departures Stevenosky, Yourey, Cade Schultz, Blake Wessler, Carson Boyle, Marques Barnhart and Emiliano Conklin leave room for a new cast of Miners to step up. Some more players to watch include Kaseem Loftin, Robert Bruce, Ty Atkinson, Adam Eckert, Ethan Borrell, Trustin Diehl, Dax Curry and Elijah Killian.

“I tell these kids all the time, they set the tone,” Minersville coach Justin Frantz said. “Our team is buying into what we’re trying to do. It’s the kids who have been with me four years, three years, they’re leading the charge.

“When I came here during the COVID year, we dressed 20 players and now we’re up to like 46 players on our roster this year,” Frantz said. “It’s all because of the kids. They’re out recruiting for the program. We have kids who have never played the game before that want to come out and try it. That’s awesome to me, and I love the fact that kids want to try it.”

After a scrimmage with Northern Lebanon on Saturday, Aug. 17, Minersville kicks off its season Friday, Aug. 23, at Veterans Memorial Stadium against Halifax.

The Battlin’ Miners hit the road for Schuylkill/Colonial Division III play beginning at Shenandoah Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, then back home for Week 3 as they host Mahanoy Area on Friday, Sept. 6, for a Military Appreciation Game. Minersville travels to Williams Valley on Friday, Sept. 13, before back-to-back home games against Schuylkill Haven on Thursday, Sept. 19, and homecoming versus Marian on Friday, Sept. 27. Then it’s back on the road on Friday, Oct. 4, before their final regular-season home game and senior recognition night Friday, Oct. 11, against Nativity. Minersville caps the regular season with a two-game road trip beginning at Tri-Valley on Friday, Oct. 18, followed by a trip to the other side of the county at Panther Valley on Friday, Oct. 25.

“We all have the mentality of getting to a championship again,” Easton Schultz said. “If we take it week-by-week and control what we can control, we’ll be set.”

Miners bump up to Class AA

After capturing the District 11 Class A trophy in 2023, the Miners have been bumped to Class AA for the next two-year PIAA enrollment cycle. Other local schools in Class AA include Mahanoy Area, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley and 2023 champion Williams Valley. Lehigh Valley schools that round out the classification include Catasauqua, Executive Education, Northern Lehigh, Palisades and Pen Argyl.

“I was just talking to coach (Stephen) Sedesse from Williams Valley about this, and we had a great talk about it,” Frantz said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re A or AA around here because you’re almost playing the same teams. I’ve used the quote a couple times this summer, but it’s like a gauntlet.

“No matter who you play in the small-school teams, it can be brutal. I have got to think that Class AA has to be one of the strongest fields you’ll find anywhere with great players and coaches. I like it, it’s a huge challenge but I think it’s great. The old saying, ‘If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.’ I love it, let’s go compete with these guys who we play on a weekly basis.”