Legendary ’75 upset over Mt. Carmel commemorated
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Members of the Shenandoah Valley Blue Devils football team, cheerleading squad, and marching band from 1975 are recognized on the field for the 50th anniversary of Shenandoah Valley's upset win over Mount Carmel Area, seen on Oct. 24, 2025.
SHENANDOAH – It was a night that turned the coal region football world on its head: Oct. 31, 1975, when the Shenandoah Valley Blue Devils took down the mighty Mount Carmel Red Tornadoes.
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> Legendary ’75 upset over Mt. Carmel commemorated
Members of the legendary squad were on hand Friday night to recognize and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 26-15 victory at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The recognition took place at halftime during the Shenandoah Valley v. Mahanoy Area football game.
A social followed the game at the Columbia Hose firehouse.
The game is often described as one of the most memorable upset wins in Blue Devil football history.
It also stands as the last victory for Shenandoah Valley over Mount Carmel
The two squads played annually from 1935 until 1977 and haven’t played since.
The 1975 Shenandoah Valley squad had lost 16 straight games to the Red Tornadoes, and most in and around Coal Region football expected it to become 17. As news of the victory spread throughout the Anthracite region, many assumed it was a Halloween prank.
Instead, it was one of the most legendary wins in Coal Region football.
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