Mineola season ends with 12-7 loss to Mt. Vernon

Posted 12/3/20

The Mineola Yellowjackets 2020 football campaign came to a close in the regional semi-final round with a 12-7 loss to the Mt. Vernon Tigers Friday at Sulphur Springs.

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Mineola season ends with 12-7 loss to Mt. Vernon

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The Mineola Yellowjackets 2020 football campaign came to a close in the regional semi-final round with a 12-7 loss to the Mt. Vernon Tigers Friday at Sulphur Springs.

Mt. Vernon outgained the Jackets 239 yards to 190 yards. They forced four Mineola fumbles, one turnover-on-downs and five punts. The Tigers held the Jackets to 60 yards from scrimmage in the second half and by-and-large shut down the Jacket running game. 

In a game which featured two stalwart defenses, the outcome can usually be found in field position and miscues. So it was Friday. Through the first half, the game was remarkably even in practically every measure. In the second half, however, the average Mineola starting position was the Mineola 26-yard line, while the Tigers’ average starting position was the Mt. Vernon 43-yard line. 

Miscues torpedoed Mineola’s second half. Bracketed by punts in their first and last drive of the second half were lost fumbles on three consecutive possessions. One of those fumbles was converted into a Mt. Vernon field goal.

Mental errors in the form of penalties took their toll as well. Two holding penalties, two personal fouls, and a touchdown-nullifying block below the waist were uncharacteristic features of the Jackets’ play.   

The headline of the game was the penetration and pursuit of the Mt. Vernon defense. They denied the outside gaps and relentlessly flew to the ball. The Jackets had moments of offensive production but could never sustain their power running game.

Yet, Mineola had chances. A Tiger fumble on their first possession gave Mineola the ball on the Tiger 31-yard line. Having worked the ball down to the 15-yard line, an errant snap resulted in a big loss. Mineola punted.

After forcing a Tiger punt on Mt. Vernon’s second possession, the Yellowjackets moved the ball deep into Tiger territory. Yellowjacket halfback Dawson Pendergrass was stood up, and the Mt. Vernon defenders stripped the ball causing a turnover. 

The Tigers then embarked on the only long drive by either team of the afternoon. After a 43-yard completion on a post route, the Tigers moved to the 15-yard line on a jet sweep. They scored four plays later as time expired in the opening quarter. Mineola stopped the 2-point conversion leaving the score Mt. Vernon 6-0.

The next five possessions were practically all defense from both teams. In this span, Mineola had two punts and a turnover-on-downs while Mt. Vernon produced one punt and one turnover-on-downs.  

Late in the half, Coy Anderson jumped on a muffed punt, giving the Jackets possession at the Tigers 41-yard line. After an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Mt. Vernon, Mineola had the ball at the 16-yard line with under a minute to play in the half.

TJ Moreland connected with Pendergrass on an out route to move the ball to the 1-yard line. It was an amazing catch, as Pendergrass was leaned far out of bounds while retaining his feet in play. 

Sneed carried the ball for a score over the left side and Nathan Rojas slotted the extra point to give the Jackets a lead. There were 20 seconds left in the half.

In two plays the Tigers had moved the ball from their own 42 to the Jackets’ 26-yard line. With the clock showing :02, Mt. Vernon lined up for a field goal.

The first attempt was negated due to a false start on the offense. On the re-kick, Mineola burst through the middle and blocked the kick. Jaxon Holland scooped the ball and raced 60 yards to the end zone.  

It was for naught as the officials flagged Mineola for a block below the waist – a very curious call. After a long conference, the score was negated.

The third field goal attempt was wide right, but Mineola had called for a time-out just before the kick. It was the fourth kick which gave Mt. Vernon a 9-7 lead at the half. 

The Jackets have been a second-half team all year. With a close game and receiving the second-half kickoff, the opening Mineola drive would be very telling. 

A Sneed carry over the left side for 11 yards and a Pendergrass carry over the right side for 17 yards put the ball at midfield. Moreland completed a short out route to Thomas Hooton on a fourth-and-3 to convert a first down. After a positive gain on first down, two negative plays in a row resulted in a punt.

It was the end of Mineola’s offensive production for the day. They managed only two first downs for the remainder of the game.     

The Tigers turned one of those second-half Yellowjacket fumbles into a second field goal. The scoreboard registered a 12-7 Mt. Vernon lead with a lot of football left to play.

The Yellowjacket defensive unit worked hard to set up the offense. Pendergrass made a beautiful interception when he tipped the ball to himself along the sideline after undercutting a Tiger pass.

As the game wore on, Mineola stopped Mt. Vernon on two fourth down conversion attempts. Unfortunately, there was simply no way forward for the Yellowjacket offense in the second half. Mineola could not take advantage of those defensive stands.

The Tigers put together the longest second-half drive by either team (an 11-play, 42-yard effort) to run out the remaining time.  

Given that Mt. Vernon had eclipsed Mineola back in October, the loss was particularly stinging. However, the season was a remarkable run. Only 16 Class 3A Division 1 football teams in the state become area champions.

Mt. Vernon faces Makakoff, a 24-21 winner over Grandview, in the regional finals Friday.