Jackets outlast Sabine, 40-33

Posted 11/18/21

The Mineola Yellowjackets used a quick start and a productive second half to secure a bidistrict championship over the Sabine Cardinals, 40-33, Friday in Bullard.

The game was a cornucopia of football. It featured big plays, grinding drives, spectacular individual effort and oddities such as the return of a blocked PAT for two points.

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Jackets outlast Sabine, 40-33

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The Mineola Yellowjackets used a quick start and a productive second half to secure a bidistrict championship over the Sabine Cardinals, 40-33, Friday in Bullard.

The game was a cornucopia of football. It featured big plays, grinding drives, spectacular individual effort and oddities such as the return of a blocked PAT for two points. The two teams know each other well and were remarkably similar. 

The final offensive statistics proved this out. The Yellowjackets tallied 415 yards from scrimmage while the Cardinals bested that mark, gaining 433 on the night. 

At no time did the game feel secure. Even in the final quarter, when the Jackets opened up a 14-point lead, the Cardinals mustered a long drive to cut the deficit. 

Just how close these two teams were was illustrated from the first two possessions. Each team drove the ball 75 yards in eight plays for an opening-possession score. Mineola’s Dawson Pendergrass scampered 43 yards through the middle of the Cardinal’s defense and gave Mineola a 14-7 lead with 2:42 to play in the opening quarter. Pendergrass would log 269 yards rushing on 30 carries. 

At the break in the quarters, Sabine was in the middle of another long drive – one which would have quite a twist. At the Yellowjackets’ 23-yard line, the Cardinals lofted a pass into the end zone. Pendergrass made a leaping interception at the goal line and turned up field. A second Cardinal receiver stripped the ball and recovered the fumble at the Jacket’s 4-yard line. 

On first and second down Mineola’s Nate Griffin and Coy Anderson stuffed two running plays. On third down, J.J. Gandy stepped in front of a back-shoulder throw and intercepted the ball in the end zone. 

The Jackets were forced to punt as Sabine began firing their linebackers to thwart the Mineola running game. 

After taking possession on their own 39-yard line, the Cardinals scored two plays later. The score came on a weak side quarterback option which went for 59 yards. The game was knotted at 14.

In their last two possessions of the half, the Jackets could manage only 12 yards from scrimmage. The game momentum had fully swung to the Cardinals. 

Sabine mixed the play-calling well on their next possession and took a 21-14 lead with just over a minute to play in the half. The touchdown was scored on a 28-yard post route. Three Mineola defenders were in the immediate vicinity of the catch, but the receiver sliced through the three to reach the end zone.

Coach Luke Blackwell’s teams are known for half-time adjustments. This bidistrict match-up was no different. The Jackets reached the end zone on their first four possessions of the second half. They stole the momentum back but never came to dominate the game.

Two plays into the second half, Pendergrass followed Bryson Myers and D.J. Newsome through the left side and scored on a 51-yard burst between the hash marks. Sabine blocked the PAT attempt, and the Cardinals returned the ball the length of the field to record a two-point score. That made the tally Sabine 23, Mineola 20.

The Cardinals added a field goal midway through the third period to extend their lead to 26-20.

Mineola scored next on a 66-yard wheel route completion from T.J. Moreland to Pendergrass. A high snap on the PAT left the score tied at 26.

At the close of the third quarter, the Jackets concluded a 67-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown carry by Pendergrass on a direct-snap lead play. Mineola led 33-26.

Sabine geared up for a fourth quarter push. Driving the ball over midfield, they appeared to be regaining their first-half form. An amazing defensive play – perhaps the play of the game – unfolded thanks to the situational awareness of Yellowjacket Paul Stanley.

On a third down at the Jacket’s 43-yard line, Sabine lined up with a wide receiver split to the wide side and a receiver in the slot on the same side. At the snap, the quarterback threw a pass on-target to the receivers who were running a feint screen game between them. Stanley, who had coverage on the slot man, stole a look at the wide out after the snap to diagnose the play. He then surged forward and snagged the pass just in front of his receiver. It was an awesome display of smart football.   

On the very next play, Moreland hit Gandy on a well-disguised go route for a 49-yard scoring strike. Mineola led 40-26.

The Cardinals were not done. They drove 75 yards to draw within one score with 7:15 remaining. The key play on the drive was a 35-yard pass completion on a third-and-12.

A heavy dose of Pendergrass (nine carries) burned up most of the remaining time. Sabine generated one final drive, but could not sustain it.

The game was everything a 3A bi-district game should be: well-played, competitive and full of talented, hard-working athletes. 

The Sabine football program has no doubt been successfully resurrected.

For the Jackets, the future holds a meeting in Forney Friday against the West Trojans, unbeaten and fifth-ranked champions of District 7-3A.