MINERSVILLE — The way Minersville’s speedy and gifted running back Derek Derenzo and Panther Valley’s Brody Breiner were bouncing around Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday night, it was a bit of “Shake a Tail Feather” reminiscent of The Blues Brothers.

The big difference in this outcome was the Battlin’ Miners’ ability to capitalize on four Panther Valley fumbles — all of which led to touchdowns — in a bit of a shootout at the OK Corral on the way to a 42-18 victory.

To be sure, the Derenzo show was front and center. He rushed for 199 yards on just 12 carries, one of which went for a 52-yard touchdown burst — but his longest run of the evening was a 60-yard dash.

That came on only his second carry of the game — and to think the junior had only one carry the entire first half.

The way Derenzo sets up his blockers is the key, and he readily admits that.

“I’m patient. I just wait for my receivers and blockers, and once I see where there is a (hole), I run to the opening,” Derenzo said.

Sort of like a hawk waiting for its prey to come into focus.

“He runs very hard and is deceptively fast,” head coach Justin Frantz said.

So fast, it surprised Frantz that Derenzo was just a yard shy of the 200-yard barrier.

“I didn’t know that,” Frantz said with a friendly smile.

Derenzo exited with well over three minutes to play in the contest. By that time, his team was just running out the clock.

It was an odd type of game, especially for Breiner. Much like his counterpart Derenzo, Breiner accounted for nearly all his yards in the second half.

After being held to 37 first-half yards on nine carries, he rode his offensive line to finish with 175 yards on 22 carries, largely behind a simple counter-trey play.

“It was working so well in the second half. We were able to get to their linebackers, and the (counter) got us back in business,” Panther Valley coach Mark Lavine said.

However, the way this one started, Minersville quarterback Dante Carr hit the end zone for a 7-0 lead after kicker Jordan Bowers’ first of six PATs.

That started a string of three touchdowns. The lead ballooned to 14-0 when Carr flipped a cool 22-yard touchdown pass to Paiten LaPoint.

It was a record-setter on both accounts: LaPoint collected his 116th career reception, and Carr threw his 26th touchdown pass, setting the school’s single-season record.

Matthew Dube put the Miners up by three scores, catching a 30-yard touchdown strike following a Panther Valley fumble.

The visitors finally dented the scoring column just before halftime, driving 49 yards to paydirt. It was a bit-by-bit drive, nothing exceptional save for an 18-yard run by Breiner to the Minersville 29, aided by a 10-yard penalty.

Trey Nunez capped it from a yard out, making it 21-6 at halftime.

“That touchdown gave us a boost of confidence, and we carried that over into the second half,” Lavine said.

Carr, who was dinged up right before halftime, quickly reassured onlookers when he juked his way through a picket fence of Panther Valley defenders on a 24-yard touchdown run.

It took just three plays to set up the score — and it was Derenzo’s run that set the table for a 28-6 lead.

Panther Valley answered, sparked by Breiner’s 43-yard scamper to the end zone, but Carr was back in the end zone on the following series.

Driving 64 yards on 10 plays, Minersville pushed the tally to 35-12 with 3:41 to play in the third quarter. Panther Valley found its groove once more, driving 80 yards for a touchdown in just seven plays.

Breiner rode the huge offensive line with runs of seven, 15, eight, 24 and the final 11 yards. It was the last time Panther Valley had an answer.

Minersville tapped back into Derenzo — this time he snapped off a 52-yard touchdown run before sure-footed kicker Bowers banged home a 30-yard field goal with ease to set the final count.

“I was just playing the game,” Derenzo said when told about his final yardage.

As much as Derenzo earned his keep running the ball, he was forceful at linebacker early on before Panther Valley found a way to block him and free up the counter-trey.

“They keyed on our (linebackers) more in the second half, so we had a hard time getting (off the blocks),” Derenzo said. “But we’ll get that straightened out for the playoffs.”

WHERE TO NEXT? ... Both teams now head to the District 11 tournament. It looks like Panther Valley (Class 3A) will travel to North Schuylkill, while Minersville draws Pen Argyl.

HE DID IT ... Panther Valley wide receiver Gavin Yuricheck reached the 500-yard plateau for the season with three catches Friday night.

BY THE NUMBERS ... Minersville totaled 428 yards of offense — 345 rushing, 85 passing. Carr went 8-of-11. Panther Valley finished with 197 total yards.

Minersville 42, Panther Vy. 18

Panther Vy. 0 6 12 0 - 18

Minersville 7 14 21 3 - 42

M - Carr 1 run (Bowers kick)

M - LaPoint 22 pass from Carr (Bowers kick)

M - Dube 30 pass from Carr (Bowers kick)

PV - Nunez 1 run (pass failed)

M - Carr 24 run (Bowers kick)

PV - Breiner 43 run (run failed)

M - Carr 3 run (Bowers kick)

PV - Breiner 11 run (Bowers kick)

M - Derenzo 52 run (Bowers kick)

M - Bowers 30 FG