Mineola and New Diana lit up the scoreboard last week, with the Eagles pulling away in the second half to defeat the Yellowjackets 65-35.
The teams battled to a 14-14 tie after the first quarter. The offensive fireworks continued in the second, with New Diana scoring 23 points and Mineola adding 21 to give the Eagles a 37-35 halftime lead.
The second half was a different story. New Diana scored 28 unanswered points to put the game away.
Despite the loss, Mineola turned in another strong offensive performance. Senior running back Aidan Shepherd carried the ball 16 times for 186 yards, averaging 11.6 yards per carry. He also caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 254 yards from scrimmage and three scores.
Quarterback Beckham Bowker completed 12 of 19 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.
The Yellowjackets piled up 411 yards of offense, including 285 rushing and 126 passing. Through two games, Mineola has scored 84 points but allowed 154.
Steven Reyes turned in a strong game on defense, while Ayden Phillips made an impact on special teams.
The loss dropped Mineola to 0-2 as the Yellowjackets prepare to host Sabine on Friday at Meredith Memorial Stadium.
Mineola will travel to Lone Oak the following week to face the Buffaloes before opening district play Sept. 25 at home against one of the district favorites, the Malakoff Tigers.
Sabine comes to Mineola with a 1-1 record. The Cardinals opened the season with a 34-0 loss to perennial power Shelbyville before bouncing back with a 42-16 win over Elysian Fields last Friday.
Sabine likes to spread the ball around on offense and uses a variety of defensive formations.
In an earlier interview, Mineola head coach Cody Moore talked about his expectations for the program.
“I didn’t come here to build just a football program. We want to be successful now, this year. These kids have shown a lot of character and they have put in the time with hard work and great attitudes. We want to help these kids be the best they can and have them ready for each game,” Moore said.