Jackets defeat West Rusk to go 3-0

Posted 9/17/20

Football fans saw an excellent game Friday as the Mineola Yellowjackets concluded their pre-district schedule with a 36-14 win over the visiting West Rusk Raiders.

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Jackets defeat West Rusk to go 3-0

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Football fans saw an excellent game Friday as the Mineola Yellowjackets concluded their pre-district schedule with a 36-14 win over the visiting West Rusk Raiders. 

The first half was a defensive struggle between the sides; however several key plays highlighted the action. In the second half, the game had a little bit of everything: big plays, defensive scores and herculean effort. 

The Raiders took the opening possession and scored on a nine-play drive. They mixed the run and pass well, keeping the Yellowjackets just a bit on their heels. West Rusk scored on a flare pass from the Jacket’s five-yard line. 

Mineola answered with a 75-yard scoring drive. A slashing 18-yard run by Trevion Sneed highlighted the drive. The score came on a beautiful arching toss from T.J Moreland to Dawson Pendergrass, who ran a nicely-designed wheel route. 

The first 10 minutes of action had produced two drives and two scores. 

For the rest of the half neither team could dominate. West Rusk netted 61 yards in the remainder of the half while Mineola mustered 102. Ninety-four of those Mineola yards came on a stunning run by Pendergrass. He jetted through the Raider defense and made an excellent cut between three defenders in the race to the end zone. He was pushed out at the 3-yard line. 

Mineola lost a fumble on the next play which kept the score knotted. 

A combined six punts made for a quick first half. 

Mineola came out in the second half and scored on four consecutive possessions. With Sneed operating from the wildcat and sharing the backfield with Pendergrass, Mineola ground out the first score. Sneed scored on a blast through the middle which he stretched into a 34-yard highlight-reel run.

On the very next West Rusk play from scrimmage, Yellowjacket Coy Anderson made a jarring tackle coming up to make a stop on the left edge of the defense which caused a Raider fumble. Moreland scooped the ball and scored on a 42-yard return. 

The Mineola defense struck again in the visitors’ following possession. Hunter Wright stripped a ball carrier after a long chase and DJ Newsome recovered. 

A brutal run by Sneed, a nice seam route completion from Moreland to Pendergrass and a leaping Sneed touchdown finished the next drive.

Sneed scored again with six minutes remaining to conclude the offensive production on the night. He finished with 115 yards on 20 carries. 

Mineola added a safety late in the game when Nate Griffin disrupted the quarterback/halfback exchange and West Rusk lost the ball out of their end zone. 

Of specific note, the Mineola defense made nine negative-yardage plays against a good offensive football team. Jackson Anderson, Kobe Kendrick and DJ Newsome each recorded a sack. Oliver Barnes and Drew Robertson joined Hunter Wright and Trevion Sneed with yeoman-like defensive efforts.

The Yellowjackets should be confident and hungry as they take advantage of the bye week to plan for their district opener at Winnsboro Sept. 25.