A TRACK MEET BROKE OUT | Mineola outlasts Sabine in final seconds
MINEOLA – Twenty-five years ago, the world stopped.
Twenty-five years later on a field in Mineola, Texas, two teams who only know 9/11 as history came together for a football game.
The Mineola Yellowjackets welcomed Sabine Friday night, and neither team put up much of a defense as the ‘Jackets stung the Cardinals, 49-42.
The Cardinals (1-2) visit Redwater next Friday night.
Following a moment of silence, the Yellowjackets took the opening kickoff. On the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Braxton Moore threw a pass that was intercepted by the Cardinals’ Syler Pierce. On the next play, Princeton Jones broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run. Victor Avalos added the extra point and the scoring began, Sabine leading 7-0.
With the ball once again and facing third and long, Moore connected with Carson Sullivan for a 54-yard catch and run. Jankarlo Ybarra’s point after tied the score (7-7).
The Cardinals marched downfield to Mineola’s 10-yard line. After a third and short, the refs initially ruled that the Cardinals had a first down, but then changed it to fourth-and-1.
The next play was a high snap that went over the head of Sabine quarterback Griffin DeHoyos, and the Cards had turned the ball over on downs.
Mineola’s Aidan Shepherd went 75 yards for the score on first down, one of many long runs Shepherd would manage in the game. After the extra point (14-7 Mineola), the ‘Jackets would never trail again. The Cardinals wound the quarter down with a series of runs by Jones and a 39-yard pass play to Pierce.
Two plays into the second quarter, DeHoyos plunged in from the 1 for the touchdown, and Avalos tied it (14-14).
Mineola kept pounding the ball with two 10 yard runs by Shepherd and two pass plays to Beckham Bowker for 10 and 8 yards. The Cardinals’ defense, facing a third-and-goal, was able to punch the ball out of Shepherd’s arms, and Sabine’s Jeremiah Templeton recovered the ball in the end zone.
The ‘Jackets’ defense was able to get the ball back by forcing a punt. Two plays later, Shepherd saw his second 75-yard score of the night, giving Mineola a 21 -14 lead.
The Cardinals came right back with a 25-yard reception by Keiffer Serrano, then a 15-yard run by Angel Gaona. He then took the final handoff for a 2-yard score to tie the game at 21 with 44 seconds left in the half.
Believe it or not, that was just enough time for Shepherd, as he broke free for an 80-yard touchdown and a 28 -21 lead for the Yellowjackets.
With 32 seconds left in the half, the Cardinals got into position for a 37-yard field goal as the clock struck 0. The ball was tipped and Bowker picked it up for the ‘Jackets and weaved his way for an apparent 80-yard touchdown. But a little yellow flag was thrown, and a holding penalty on Mineola ended the half (28-21 Mineola).
The Cardinals got the second half kickoff at their 18, and a short run and a sack saw them facing a third and long. But a pass interference call on Mineola brought life back.
Gaona then ripped off a 32-yard run, followed by a 28-yard touchdown pass from DeHoyos to Pierce with the extra point tying the score at 28.
With both teams scoring at will, it would continue. Moore found Sullivan for a 31-yard score (35-28 Mineola). The Cardinals were not to be out done. Jones rumbled 34 yards and Gaona sprinted the final 43 for the score, again tying the game (35-35.
Following an unsuccessful onside kick, the ‘Jackets had the ball at midfield. On second down, Moore dropped a pass into the arms of Bowker for the touchdown and a 42-35 lead for Mineola.
The Cardinals’ next drive transitioned the game from the third to the fourth quarter, but they were held and turned the ball over on downs. Mineola took advantage of this.
Moore found Geremonte for a 71-yard catch and run. Shepherd then went in for his fourth touchdown on the night and a two-touchdown lead (49-35 Mineola).
With about five minutes left in the game, Jones had a run of 16 yards and a reception of 13 yards. DeHoyos connected for 27 to Pierce, then 17 to Terry Vanden. Jones went the final yard for the score, cutting the Jacket lead to only seven (49-42).
With two minutes left, the Cardinals’ defense forced a turnover on downs, giving the ball back to the offense with 32 seconds left.
DeHoyos found Vanden for 21 yards, but the Mineola defense sacked DeHoyos to end the game and come away with their first win of the season.
There was a lot of offense in the game. The Cardinals were led by Jones, who had 185 yards on the ground and the two scores. Gaona added 69 yards and a score.
DeHoyos had 233 passing yards and a touchdown passing and rushing. Pierce had 119 receiving yards and a score and Serrano added 56.
The ‘Jackets were led by Shepherd, who had 263 yards and a four-touchdown night. Moore had 264 yards passing with three scores. Geremonte had 104 yards receiving and Sullivan added 85 and two scores while Bowker had 75 and a score.