Jackets put up a fight in playoff loss

Posted 11/21/24

What a ride! The Mineola Yellowjackets completely reversed the tenor of the season with a gutsy, bidistrict playoff performance against the state-ranked and unbeaten Jefferson Bulldogs. The Jackets …

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Jackets put up a fight in playoff loss

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What a ride! The Mineola Yellowjackets completely reversed the tenor of the season with a gutsy, bidistrict playoff performance against the state-ranked and unbeaten Jefferson Bulldogs. The Jackets went down in defeat 54-27 last Thursday at Eagle Stadium in Lindale, but they stood toe-to-toe with the Bulldogs through three quarters.

To say that the Yellowjackets gave a good accounting for themselves would be an understatement and a disservice. The Jackets put together a quality game plan and executed it well, against a team which had collegiate-bound playmakers. 

The Bulldogs took the opening kick-off and drove 40 yards. They looked destined to score, but on a fourth-and-10, Ainsley Steward made a beauty of a play in the end zone to knock away a pass. Mineola took over. 

The Jackets then ground out 59 yards between the tackles, with carries by Kipton Neighbors, Braelyn Geremonte and Colton McMahon. On a third-down from the Bulldog 20-yard line, Neighbors stepped back and hit McMahon with a perfect pass on a post-route three yards deep in the end zone. McMahon made the catch between three defenders.

Jefferson tied the score, at 7-7, just before the quarter break.

As the teams changed sides, Mineola was driving toward midfield. Steward was set wide left, and on a second-and 7, Neighbors whipped Steward the ball on a quick throw to the edge. 

The Jefferson defender made a play for the pass but was a moment too slow. Steward took the pass, shook off the tackler and sprinted 58 yards down the north sideline. The Jackets had taken a 14-7 lead.

Jefferson scored three plays later by breaking a long run. The extra point went wide, and Mineola held the 14-13 edge.

The Bulldogs took advantage of a short field to score again with 4:43 left in the half. The score stood 20-14, Jefferson. 

A long punt return gave Jefferson excellent field position on their next possession. The Jackets held on a fourth-and-3, however, and regained the ball on downs. 

The ‘Neighbors run’ came three plays later. 

The quarterback took the shotgun snap and kept the ball over the left side on a lead option. He allowed one key block to develop before cutting through the line, then sliced left through the Bulldog defense and accelerated down the sideline. 

His 73-yard run, during which he flipped a defender over his back as he neared the end zone, gave Mineola all the momentum and tied the game at 20-20. The extra point was blocked and the game went to half tied.  

The second half was determined by the adjustments made by the Jefferson defense. They began attacking the Yellowjacket backfield and refused to be influenced.

After tallying 223 yards in the first half, the Jackets could muster only 109 in the second half.

But there was plenty of fight left. 

Jefferson scored twice in the third quarter to take a 14-point lead. Following a Geremonte kick-off return which put the ball near midfield, Mineola struck. 

Neighbors lofted another deep ball for McMahon, who made a catch over the top of two defenders and dashed into the end zone. Mineola had closed the score to 34-27 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter was all Jefferson. A quality side, they produced when they truly needed to. The Bulldogs scored three times in the quarter, including a long punt return which broke the back of the Mineola effort.

The Jackets were spent and could generate no further offense in the final quarter. 

For Mineola fans the whole effort was a matter of great pride. No one gave the 2-8 Mineola squad a chance against an undefeated Jefferson team with 16 seniors on the roster.

The young Yellowjacket team made a statement last week in Lindale, and they will carry that experience forward into 2025.