MINERSVILLE - Minersville football coach Justin Frantz has a few home run hitters in his lineup.

And Luke Stevenosky might be the guy Frantz wants batting cleanup for the Battlin’ Miners.

Stevenosky delivered a pair of booming second-half touchdown runs - including the go-ahead score - in Minersville’s 20-12 victory over Marian on Friday night.

The junior’s first score came on fourth-and-three from the Miners’ (1-1) own 48-yard line.

Stevenosky rumbled 52 yards to put Minersville ahead 12-6 in the third quarter.

After the Miners forced a punt on the Colts’ ensuing possession, Stevenosky raced 37 yards on his next carry to make it 20-6 in the fourth quarter.

“The second half, we told the line, we’re behind you. It’s on you, and they responded,” said Frantz. “Cade Schultz, Ronny Beach, Owen Fortna, Emiliano Conklin, Aiden Boom, Josh Rizzardi, Dominico Yourey, they just took over, and Luke Stev (Stevenosky), he’s a beast. When he takes over, and he broke that front line, he got rolling. To see the smile on his face and how pumped he was, that’s great.”

Stevenosky, who had just 16 yards rushing in the first half, finished with 122 on 11 carries.

Listed at 5-9, 200 pounds and sporting a big neck roll, Stevenosky didn’t shy away from contact when he got the ball.

“He looks old school,” Frantz said of his running back. “He looks like old, Coal Region football, which is the way to go.”

Marian punted the ball away on its next drive, but forced a stop on the ensuing Minersville possession.

After not completing a pass in the first half, the Colts found success through the air on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter, with Bruce Hopeck hitting Brandon Klitsch for a 45-yard gain and finding Michael Silliman for 14 yards to setup a first down at the Miners’ 13-yard line.

Matt Martin bulldozed his way into the end zone to cut the deficit to 20-12 with 5:08 remaining.

Marian (1-1) forced a quick three-and-out and Minersville’s next drive and took over at its own 43 after a punt.

Hopeck again found success through the air, hitting Michael Gelatko for 11 yards and Carsyn Chambers for six to move the ball deeper into Minersville territory.

The Miners’ stopped the drive when Brock Polinsky high-pointed a deep ball at the 5-yard line for an interception on third-and-three with 1:09 to play, ending the threat and allowing the hosts to run out the clock.

“I thought we left too many opportunities on the table,” said Marian mentor Stan Dakosty. “They had two big plays. I thought we had control of the game, but they broke two big plays. All the credit to them. They have great skill kids, we knew that coming in. We had opportunities.”

The Colts had success moving the ball on the ground early, with Joey Walko going in from two yards out on the second drive of the game to make it 6-0 in the first quarter. Martin had 22 carries for 89 yards in the first half, and finished with 122 yards on 31 attempts.

Minersville answered with a score before the end of the first half, with freshman Dante Carr swinging for the fences and hitting Logan Hutsko for a 77-yard score on a perfect deep ball to make it 6-6 at the break.

Raymond Snyder Jr. ended Marian’s first drive of the second half with an interception after the Colts drove to the 19-yard line.

Marian pressured Minersville throughout, with Jesse Rodino, Rawlin Melendez and the entire front frequently making their presence felt at the line of scrimmage.

Rodino and Klitsch also both had interceptions for the Colts, who had a chance at the end, and continue to make strides despite the loss.

“I’ll tell you what, I like the way my kids - when it was 20-12, 20-6 - could have folded the tent,” Dakosty said, “but we bounced back and scored and stopped them, and had an opportunity to tie the game, I think we grew up a little bit tonight. As much as I hate to lose, we overcame some adversity and fought to the end. I think that we can build off that.”

GET BACK SOON

... Carr, a freshman who is listed at 6-4, 195 pounds, left with an injury on Minersville’s second possession of the second half and did not return. Junior Lorenzo Yourey came on in relief, and completed a pass on the next play before Stevenosky finished the drive with his first score of the game. Yourey also hit Polinsky on a two-point conversion after Stevenosky’s second score.

CLOCK MANAGEMENT

... The clock on the scoreboard malfunctioned midway through the first quarter on Friday night, and the officiating crew, led by Dan Rossino, kept the time on the field.

UP NEXT

... Marian hosts Catasauqua next week, while Minersville visits Shenandoah Valley.