MINERSVILLE – Stunned and stung.

Panther Valley’s football team wasn’t expecting the end result it experienced against Schuylkill Football League rival Minersville on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

No way could the Panthers could see what was coming.

But like an early fall avalanche in the Alps, Minersville buried the Panthers under a blanket of touchdowns and cruised to a 57-22 victory. The The Miners needed their offense to be in high gear because Panther Valley was churning up big offensive numbers of its own.

Speedy senior running back Louis Clouser seemed unbeatable with his terrific ability to get to the edge and turn the corner time and again. He would pile up 207 yards on the ground and score on touchdown runs of 85 and 48 yards.

Meanwhile, quarterback Mike Pascoe, a 6-2, 200-pound sophomore stud, ran more like a fullback as he rushed for 112 yards, scored a touchdown and added a two-point PAT.

However all of that wasn’t enough to offset the Battlin Mines who seemed to have answer after answer en route to their first victory of the season.

This baby looked more like a sprint car race at the onset and it never slowed down.

Minersville came up empty on its first possession, but the second time it rode the arm and feet of frosh quarterback Connor Schwalm who fired three completions before eventually sprinting 39 yards to paydirt.

After forcing a Panther Valley punt from its own end zone, the Miners took advantage of a short field and needed only two plays before Schwalm ducked into the end zone on a nifty 8-yard run. The two-point conversion made it 15-0.

The Panthers quickly answered.

On the first play following the kickoff, PV ran a jet-sweep with Clouser blazing 85 yards to paydirt. As fast as Clouser hit the end zone, the Miners were getting one back when Schwalm found sophomore Brock Polinsky for a 58-yard touchdown pass and a 21-6 lead.

Just before the end of the opening quarter, Panther Valley would turn to Clouser again, and he tore off another scintillating touchdown run, this one from 48 yards out. When Pascoe ran in the bonus points the Panthers were within 21-14.

But that was as close as Panther Valley would get.

Minersville quickly deflated the Panthers’ balloon, scoring 29 unanswered second quarter points to build a 50-14 halftime lead.

Schwalm raced 65 yards and six yards for touchdowns, before freshman linebacker Luke Stevenosky picked off a pass and ran 50 yards for another score. Just before the half ended, Schwalm capped the onslaught by floating a perfect corner rout pass to

The second half was played under the mercy rule with a running clock and featured one score by each side. .

NOT SO HAPPY HOMECOMING … Rick Jones, PV’s second-year head coach, was a long time coach at Minersville.

EARLY GOINGS GOOD … Clouser’s speed was impressive on his two first half touchdown runs.

QB STAR … Several of Minersville’s starters are young and promising - none more than quarterback Schwalm. He has a great feel for the game as a freshman and an arm that is only going to get better with time and experience.