The 2020 Mineola Yellowjackets football team was tough.

After closing out an impressive 11–2 season, Mineola athletic director and head coach Luke Blackwell says he is proud of “how hard they play, their effort and their toughness. I think you see that each game and every play.”

After spending only a few dozen hours on the sidelines next to them, I can attest to as much.

They were a tough team to beat – only the Mt. Vernon Tigers accomplished the feat.

“It is just the way they play football — you have to be at your best or you don’t have a chance against them,” said Tigers coach Art Briles.

They were a tough team by which to be defeated.

More frustration (and plenty of penalties) came out of opposing teams in fourth quarters than can reasonably be qualified.

Several players fought through injuries and pain.

I lost track of how many times defensive tackle Kejuan Fite was helped to the sideline with a nagging knee injuring flaring up, only to return the next week, or sometimes later in the same game.

But it was the Yellowjackets’ mental toughness, at least as much their physical fortitude, that earned them a district title and area championship.

Alabama coach Nick Saban recently defined toughness as “what helps you be able to maintain the discipline that you need to have to do what you're supposed to do, when you’re supposed to do it, the way it’s supposed to get done.”

Only a group with such perseverance could have beaten Pottsboro after trailing 28–7, which Mineola did on Oct. 16 at home, in a triple-overtime thriller.

After that win, two-way star and SMU commit Trevion Sneed said, “We really care about this sport, we really wanted to win,” and without prompting, credited Blackwell with “inspiring us to go hard on every play.”

Their final play in orange and white typified this consistency.

The game was practically over – all that was left was one more kneel-down in victory formation for the Tigers – but technically, it was not.

Other players may have put in last-second effort, but (begrudging none who were practical) I have photographic evidence that at least two were playing hard until the last whistle.

At the urging of their coaches, in case the snap was flubbed, two excellent defensive linemen were still giving their all. Kobe Kendrick was going through a blocker and Jackson Anderson slipped by and was nearly to the Tiger quarterback by the time he knelt with the ball to tick away the remaining seconds.

The Yellowjackets care deeply about the game of football, as Sneed said, but also about each other.

The outpouring of emotion after the final loss to Mt. Vernon was evidence of the passion these young men and the coaches who lead them feel. Many were brought to tears, especially seniors realizing their gridiron careers at Mineola were done.

“You’re going to have those tears and those emotions, and that only happens when you’re committed to something and you care that much about something and work so hard,” reflected Blackwell.

The hard work paid off.

In addition to becoming a stellar high school football squad, the Yellowjackets have also learned how to become young men – men who cry, men who hug, because they care.

Learning to feel is not easy. When one cares about a sport and one’s teammates (or anything, or anyone, really) joy and pain are bound to follow.

I witnessed an abundance of joy, passion and love pouring out of these young men every time they suited up to compete, as well as some anger, which they did their best to harness, and pain, which they survived, gaining toughness.

One emotion they ought not feel about themselves or their season whatsoever though, is shame.

Coach Blackwell summed it up, “Ultimately we’re awfully proud of these kids and what they were able to accomplish this year and we love them very much.”