If the Mineola Yellowjackets were looking for a good primer as a send-off to start the post-season, they got it last Friday. The Jackets amassed 448 yards from scrimmage as they defeated the visiting Commerce Tigers, 49-8.   

Mineola scored on their first three possessions with efficient drives of 61, 69 and 68 yards. Meanwhile, the Jacket defense forced two punts and a turnover-on-downs.

Dawson Pendergrass was the workhorse for the home side, especially early in the game. He carried the ball 13 times in the initial three scoring drives and averaged 8.3 yards per carry. His longest run was the first scoring run, a 19-yard effort straight up the middle.

The cleanest run of the night belonged to quarterback T.J. Moreland, who took a designed quarterback draw 34 yards for the Jackets’ second score.  

At the quarter break, Mineola had built a business-like 21-0 lead. It was exactly the type of performance that Coach Luke Blackwell was hoping for in the last district game of the campaign. 

On the first snap of the second quarter, a jet sweep hand-off in the Tiger’s backfield went amiss and ricocheted off the runner’s hip. The ball was scooped up by Nate Griffin, who was in the Tiger backfield, and Griffin took off for the end zone. He was brought down by the Commerce quarterback at around the 25-yard line. He may have tried to lateral the ball, but regardless, the ball came loose and hit the turf. Coy Anderson smoothly picked up the ball and sprinted the remaining yardage for a defensive score.

Anderson’s defensive efforts continued apace. In Commerce’s first two series of plays, Anderson had four solo tackles. His activity level was off the charts.

The Jackets added a fifth score just before halftime. The 82-yard drive culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Moreland to Pendergrass. Moreland was under intense pressure on the play and winged a hopeful toss in Pendergrass’ direction. Pendergrass came back for the ball hard, made the catch at around the 5-yard line and turned back upfield for the score.

The second half began with Anderson returning the kick-off past midfield. Two plays later, Mineola went up 42-0. 

Commerce scored on a long pass and run in their next possession. The Tiger receiver managed to get beyond the coverage when the Mineola defender misjudged the depth of the long pass. 

In one of the few mental errors of the night, the Jackets touched the ensuing kick-off out of bounds at the Mineola 4-yard line. Undeterred, the home side put together a 96-yard scoring drive, which killed a huge chuck of second half time. It concluded all scoring. 

Commerce whickered together their longest offense drive in their last possession, a 44-yard effort.

Mineola junior J.J. Gandy intercepted a corner route pass just shy of the end zone to thwart the visitor’s late effort. 

Mineola will need those mental repetitions which the Commerce game may have left in their heads. The bidistrict match-up against the Sabine Cardinals is likely to be one of the toughest games of the year. The Cardinals finished second to Gladewater and are coming off an emotional one-point win over Tatum.  

Kickoff is set for Friday at 7 p.m. in Bullard.