At its most appealing, high school football should have intrigue, drama, intensity and a time element. If so, then the Mineola vs. Canton game of last Friday night is a stand-alone advertisement for the sport.

The Yellowjackets fell by a score of 28-27 in a most unique of games. Seldom does a game see three defensive touchdowns for one side, or two blocked extra points, or three 2-point conversion tries. It was sheer entertainment and excellent competition.

Sure, there are some who will likely blame Mineola for not taking advantage of the three defensive scores to secure the win. To that there is only one response: bunk.

Defensive scores are a rarity, it is true, but they do not occur through good fortune. They occur because the defensive players are in the correct positions, are aggressive, and react, both physically and mentally, to very quick and unexpected action.

Repetition and reaction create defensive scores. Repetition ensures the correct positioning for each defensive player, while reaction prepares the young athlete to anticipate and to be able to physically respond to rapidly-changing circumstances.

Mineola started the night with a short field, recovering a fumble on Canton’s first snap from scrimmage. Five hard runs by Trevion Sneed gave the Yellowjackets a first down at the Eagles 7 yard line

The Canton defense rallied and stopped Sneed on a fourth and goal, direct snap, power-lead play. Canton took over on downs at their own 5 yard line.

On second down Canton threw a quick hitch route to the receiver on the right. Yellowjacket Cole Castleberry closed to make the tackle and as he did the two spun in a tight circle.

The ball popped up, directly into the path of Yellowjacket Montrell Williams. Williams never broke stride as he carried the ball across the goal. Mineola took the early lead 7-0 after Gustavo Sanchez added the extra point.

Canton picked up two first downs on their next drive. After a fourth down, double pass attempt went awry, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs at the Mineola 35.

On first down, Mineola quarterback Thomas Hooten rifled a quick-out pass to the right side which was speared from the air by the Eagle defensive end. Canton took over at the Mineola 40.

A deep crossing pass, a draw play and an off-tackle push from six yards out put the Eagles in the end zone. Mineola’s Dalton Rogers preserved the lead by blocking Canton’s extra point attempt. Mineola led 7-6.

The next three possessions were old-fashioned football. Mineola drove the ball into Eagle territory courtesy of a Hooten scramble. On a fourth and 1 from the Canton 39, Sneed fumbled during a hard tackle. Canton took over.

Mineola’s defense forced a third and long. Canton tried a long go route down the left sideline. Castleberry made a leaping interception as the ball neared the receiver.

Mineola had the ball again at their own 38. On a third down, Hooten broke through the line for a first down, but the ball was jarred loose and the Eagles recovered. Canton had possession again at mid-field.

This time the Eagles made it count. They hit a streaking receiver down the left side who was wide open. Mineola just managed to push him out of bounds at the 1 yard line.

Canton took the lead 12-7 on a power play up the middle. The Eagles then hit a motion man in the flat to convert the two points. The score was 14-7.

Despite a good kickoff return by Williams, the Yellowjackets were forced to punt. In the series, Mineola just missed, by a matter of inches, two long pass plays.

Canton started on their own goal line. A quick pass took them out to the 17.

On first down, the Eagles threw a short crossing route. The pass was low and behind the receiver. It glanced off his leg, and popped into the hands of Yellowjacket linebacker Brady Gully. In a flash, Mineola had tied the score at 14 all.

The Yellowjackets had momentum and stopped the Eagles on the next series. Mineola sent an all-out rush to block the Canton punt, but just missed the block. The half expired with the score in a tie.

The second half was like watching two good counter-punchers.

The Yellowjackets started the half with their best offensive drive of the night. They went 51 yards in nine plays for a score.

Sneed, who carried four times on the drive, scored from two yards out. A nice completion from Hooten to Castleberry for 21 yards highlighted the drive. Canton came hard off the defensive left end to block the extra point attempt. The score was 20-14, Mineola.

The Eagles answered with a 69-yard scoring drive. They mixed a strong draw game with a mid-range passing attack. The two point conversion pass fell incomplete, leaving the score knotted at 20.

The Yellowjackets picked up one first down, but were forced to punt the ball away. Canton regained the ball at their own 22 yard line just before the quarter break.

On a first down from their 44 yard line, the Eagles’ snap from center hit the motion man on the hip. It careened crazily through the players into the hands of Yellowjacket Kaleb Griffin.

Griffin wasted no time in toting the ball across the goal line. The Sanchez extra point made the score 27-20 Mineola.

Neither team could generate offense in the next series. Two punts ensued.

Canton embarked on a potential game tying drive from their 45 yard line. The ensuing 13-play possession was Canton’s best effort of the game. They went 4 for 6 through the air on the drive. The score came on quarterback option rollout. Score: Mineola 27-Canton 26.

The two-point conversion attempt was a designed roll out to the right, with receivers flooding the end zone on the right side. The throw was true, and Canton appeared to have taken a one-point lead.

The Eagles were flagged and pushed back. The Jackets could yet stop the second attempt.

From the 12 yard line, the Eagles ran the reverse of the initial attempt. They rolled left and flooded the end zone on the left side.

The pass went to the receiver deep in the end zone, who made a strong catch and gave Canton the lead, 28-27.

Mineola had Canton just where they wanted them. Fans are aware that Mineola athletes simply do not quit. With 2:16 yet on the clock, the Yellowjackets set to work.

Castleberry returned the kickoff to the 43 yard line. Two quick completions moved the ball to the Canton 23. A Hooten keeper up the middle took it down to the 13. A penalty pushed the Jackets back to the 18. A scramble left for no gain stopped the clock and set up a third down.

Hooten took the snap, looked right, and had an open Rogers over the middle with a linebacker trailing on his hip. The Eagle defender made a reaching play on the pass, which was just slightly behind Rogers, and Canton made the interception.

The Eagles dashed Mineola’s hopes to take home the first win of the 2019 campaign. It was a stinging loss.

The challenge for Mineola as they look forward to hosting Farmersville Friday is how to jump-start the offensive engine. There were a ton of positive lessons from the game, but offensive production (only 156 yards) was not one of them. The Yellowjackets should be primed for an offensive break-out against the Farmers.