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Craig Hayward scored on a 65-yard kickoff return and the Northeastern Pennsylvania defense gave up just 19 total yards as the NEPA Miners made their Regional American Football League debut with a 30-0 victory over the Hudson Valley Cowboys on Saturday night at Scranton Memorial Stadium. Damon Saxon opened the scoring with a 23-yard run to give the Miners a 6-0 lead.
Midway through the second, quarterback J.P. Antosh scored on a 3-yard bootleg run. Saxon ran in the two-point conversion for a 14-0 advantage.
With 5:26 to go in the third quarter, a bad snap on a Cowboys punt went through the end zone for a safety. On the ensuing kickoff, Haywood returned the ball 75 yards for a touchdown, giving the Miners a 23-0 advantage.
Early in the fourth quarter, backup signal caller Jamie Kendrick scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to complete the scoring.
“Our special teams played great and our defense pitched a goose egg,” Miners coach Dan LaMagna said. “We were also able to clean up our penalties and mistakes and played a good all-around game.”
Saxon led the Miners offense with 87 total yards, including 51 on the ground with a score. Antosh completed seven passes in 17 attempts...
Saxon rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown in nine carries to lead NEPA.
SCRANTON – Damon Saxon provided all the offense the NEPA Miners needed on Saturday, rushing for 127 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries in a 14-6 win over the Schuylkill County Coal Crackers in the second Annual Anthracite Classic.
NEPA (1-0) quarterback J.P. Antosh went 5-for-15 with 80 yards, hitting wide receiver George Graham for a 48-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for his only score of the game.
The NEPA defense was solid, grabbing four interceptions from Schuylkill Valley during the game to go along with four sacks.
Coal Crackers’ (2-1) wide receiver Jeffrey Schock scored the team’s only touchdown in the second quarter on a 21-yard pass from Chuck Andrew....
by Mark Coons, Staff Writer
Article published 11/15/2007, The Times-Tribune
The Northeast Pennsylvania Miners, fresh off their inaugural season, are looking to help local players get their foot in the door of professional football.The All-American Football League, in conjunction with the Miners, will host tryouts Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Riverfront Sports Complex.
The AAFL is a professional football league that will kick off in April.
The league goes into the 2008 campaign with six franchises. Most of the franchises will play games in major college stadiums. Alabama will play at Legion Field in Birmingham, Arkansas will call War Memorial Stadium in Fayetteville home and the Tennessee franchise will play its home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
One of the rules the league has adopted is all players signed by the league must have completed their college football eligibility and earned a four-year degree. The other franchises are Texas, Florida and Michigan.
Among the players already signed to come to training camp include 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Clint Stoerner and former Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Reggie Myles.
According to Miners’ coach Dan LaMagna, there are 67 players currently signed up with a cap of 100.
All prospective players...
by Mike Deitzer
Article published 10/18/2007, The Abington Journal
LACKAWANNA COUNTY - The NEPA Miners, competitors in the North American Football League (NAFL), concluded its inaugural season on October 6 with a 14-6 loss to the South Jersey Lynx. The NAFL is one of the largest football minor leagues in the world, with more than 100 teams.
The Miners’ first- round playoff loss was disappointing to most but considered a success for a team in its first season of play. “It always hurts when you lose, twice as much in the playoffs,” said Dan LaMagna, Miners’ owner and head coach. “That hurt was put on hold, with pride, as I know the guys played hard until the last whistle.”
The Miners ended this season with an 8-4 record with their four losses coming by a total of just 31 points. “We had a chance in the four losses, as each game was close,” said LaMagna. “With a few breaks, this team could have been 12-0. But you are what your record is.”
The Miners efforts this season were led by Donnie Jackson-Bey at running back and Matthew Pfancook at wide receiver. Jackson-Bey is a minor league football veteran and surpassed the all-time rushing record this...
Our North East PA Miners are ranked 31st in the nation of over 300 teams and a dozen leagues by Minor League Football News. The Miners are also ranked 9th in the North East. The Miners are 5-1 with their only loss belonging to the Central Penn Piranha 14-21 on the road. Central Penn is ranked 5th nationally. The Miners will host Central Penn in "The Rematch" Saturday August 25th at Lehman Stadium which will be American Cancer Society Night. This week the Miners prepare to host the 4-3 South Central Yard Dawgs. The Yard Dawgs feature a strong Defense along with Running Back Kenneth Colston, brother of New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Marques Colston. The Miners won a 13-7 battle in Harrisburg in the first week of NAFL action. This weekends game is Sunday August 19th, 4PM at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
MINOR LEAGUE FOOTBALL NEWS "TOP 40"
This is the first of our weekly National "Top 40" Rankings. To qualify a team must have played 4 games. Rankings are for games played through the August 4th weekend:
CLASS AAA
1. Dallas Diesels (NAFL) 5-0 184-57
2. King County (Wash)Jaguars (NWFL) 8-0 301-47
3. South Jersey Lynx (NAFL)...
Article published 7/29/2007, The Times-Tribune
KINZERS — Damon Saxon scored three touchdowns and the Northeast Pennsylvania defense gave up just 124 total yards and had five sacks as the Miners defeated the Lancaster Lightning, 28-14, in a North American Football League Pennsylvania Division game at Pequea Valley High School.
The Miners drew first blood when Saxon, a King’s College product, scored on a 18-yard run with 6:43 remaining in the first quarter to give the Miners the early lead.
Two minutes later, the Miners took a 14-point lead when Saxon scored on a one-yard run.
The Lightning got on the scoreboard with 10:21 remaining in the second quarter as Omar Harris intercepted a Miner pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown as the Miners continued to lead, 14-6.
Six minutes later, Kelvin Robinson found Saxon with a 43-yard scoring strike as the Miners took a 21-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Robinson hooked up with Andre Myers with a 13-yard touchdown pass to give the local team a 22-point advantage.
The Lightning scored two minutes later as Colin Smith found Matt Vann with a eight-yard scoring pass. Antoine Andrews ran in for the two-point conversion to complete the...
Article published 7/29/2007, The Citizens Voice
King’s College grad Damon Saxon scored three touchdowns and the Northeast Pennsylvania defense gave up just 124 total yards and had five sacks as the Miners defeated the Lancaster Lightning, 28-14, in a North American Football League Pennsylvania Division game at Pequea Valley High School.
The Miners drew first blood when Saxon scored on a 18-yard run with 6:43 remaining in the first quarter to give the Miners the early lead.
Two minutes later, the Miners took a 14-point lead when Saxon scored on a 1-yard run.
The Lightning got on the scoreboard with 10:21 remaining in the second quarter as Omar Harris intercepted a Miner pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown as the Miners continued to lead, 14-6.
Six minutes later, Kelvin Robinson found Saxon with a 43-yard scoring strike as the Miners took a 21-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Robinson hooked up with Andre Myers with a 13-yard touchdown pass to give the local team a 22-point advantage.
The Lightning scored two minutes later as Colin Smith found Matt Vann with a eight-yard scoring pass. Antoine Andrews ran in for the two-point conversion to complete the scoring.
Robinson...
by Mark Coons, Staff Writer
Article published 7/20/2007, The Times-Tribune
The Northeast Pennsylvania Miners, a team making a name for itself in the North American Football League, faces a formidable opponent Saturday night as they travel to Harrisburg to take on perennial power Central Penn Piranha in a NAFL Pennsylvania Division battle of unbeatens on City Island.
“This is our first big test,” Miners coach Dan LaMagna said. “We are looking forward to this game.”
The Piranha (3-0, 2-0 NAFL) are coached by Ron Kerr and have won five national championships in the past eight seasons. Central Penn has never lost a home game in its 12-year existence, extending its winning streak at “The Fish Tank” to 118 games with last week’s 48-0 victory over the Lancaster Lightning.
“Both teams are very similar, good running games and aggressive defenses,” LaMagna said.
The Miners’ defense has limited its opponents to just 21 points in its first three games, while the Piranha have yielded just 15 points and held Lancaster to negative total yardage offensively last week.
Saturday’s game will also feature two of semipro football’s all-time career rushing leaders. Donnie Jackson-Bey, who passed former Eagle standout Frank Yanik with 15,302 career yards in last week’s 37-0 victory over...
by Mark Coons, Staff Writer
Article published 7/18/2007, The Times-Tribune
Despite playing for his fifth team in 11 seasons, Donnie Jackson-Bey keeps doing what he does best.
On Saturday, the Northeast Pennsylvania Miners' running back set a semi-pro national record for career rushing yards in the Miners' 37-0 victory over the Hudson County Stars. JackÂson-Bey has 15,302 career yards, one more than former Scranton Eagles standout Frank Yanik.
"It's really an honor," JackÂson- Bey said. "Over the past few days, I've had a lot of calls from family, friends and old teamÂmates to congratulate me and I have been reading all the stoÂries that have been written and it's really starting to sink in.
"It really is a true honor."
The 31-year-old Bridgeton, NJ, native, who played at Lackawanna College in 1994 before moving to Delaware State in 1996, has had an illusÂtrious career. In 1999, while playing for the Scranton Eagles, Jackson-Bey ran for 2,433 yards, second most in national minor league footÂball history, on a nationalÂrecord 393 carries as the Eagles captured the Empire Football League championship. Five years later, Jackson-Bey led the Towanda-based Northern Tier Bruins to a United States FootÂball Association national championship.
"Sharing the national chamÂpionship and winning the EFL title with...
Article published 7/18/2007, The NAFL Website
July 14, 2007: THE RECORD IS BROKEN! 15,302 Jackson-Bey Breaks Minor League Rushing Record by 1-yard. Miner ball carrier Donnie Jackson-Bey had 134 yards to break the all time Minor League rushing record by one yard. The run came in the fourth quarter and gave Jackson-Bey 15,301 for his career. He also had three touchdowns in the game as the N.E.P.A. Miners beat Hudson County 34-0 Saturday night.
July 8, 2007: Donnie Jackson-Bey paced the offense with 109 yards and a TD as the Miners opened up their NAFL season. DJ Bey needs 133 yards next weekend to become the All-Time Minor League leading rusher. Can Donnie break the record held by former Scranton Eagle Frank Yanik with 15,301 career yards during next weeks game against the South Central Yard Dawgs. The NEPA Miners started the NAFL season with a hard fought 13-7 victory on the road versus the South Central Yard Dawgs. Donnie Jackson-Bey paced the offense with 109 yards and a TD. DJ Bey needs 133 yards next weekend to become the All-Time Minor League leading rusher. Donnie will break the record held by former Scranton Eagle Frank Yanik with 15,301 career yards....
The North East Pennsylvania (NEPA) Miners are a minor league football team bringing a first of its kind football league to North Eastern Pennsylvania that will set the Miners apart from their competitors. While the Miners represent all of North East Pennsylvania, their basis of operations is the Poconos, encompassing the areas of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. The Miners play in the Regional Atlantic Football League (RAFL) with home games at the area’s finest facilities.
The Miners’ goal is to serve the people of North East Pennsylvania with year-round community service while providing superior customer service and quality family entertainment on Saturday nights during the football season. Led by their President and Head Coach Daniel LaMagna and supported by Charlie Wysocki — a Wilkes-Barre native and legendary football player — the Miners aim to exemplify the utmost in sportsmanship while entertaining their fans. We are Scranton Football at its finest!
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Craig Hayward scored on a 65-yard kickoff return and the Northeastern Pennsylvania defense gave up just 19 total yards as the NEPA Miners made their Regional American Football League debut with a 30-0 victory over the Hudson Valley Cowboys on Saturday night at Scranton Memorial Stadium. Damon Saxon opened the scoring with a 23-yard run to give the Miners a 6-0 lead.
Midway through the second, quarterback J.P. Antosh scored on a 3-yard bootleg run. Saxon ran in the two-point conversion for a 14-0 advantage.
With 5:26 to go in the third quarter, a bad snap on a Cowboys punt went through the end zone for a safety. On the ensuing kickoff, Haywood returned the ball 75 yards for a touchdown, giving the Miners a 23-0 advantage.
Early in the fourth quarter, backup signal caller Jamie Kendrick scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to complete the scoring.
“Our special teams played great and our defense pitched a goose egg,” Miners coach Dan LaMagna said. “We were also able to clean up our penalties and mistakes and played a good all-around game.”
Saxon led the Miners offense with 87 total yards, including 51 on the ground with a score. Antosh completed seven passes in 17 attempts...
