The early possessions of the Mineola vs. Pottsboro clash Friday were reminiscent of last year’s game. Pottsboro came out fast, scoring twice in the opening five minutes. After the Yellowjackets scored to make it 14-7 at the turn of the first quarter, the comparisons with last year ceased.

Pottsboro committed no mistakes to allow Mineola back in the game, while the Yellowjackets could produce neither consistency nor big plays. Pottsboro registered a dominating 42-14 win, which evened the Yellowjackets’ mark in district to 2-2.

It took the Cardinals just four plays to open the scoring. They did it on the ground, using their team speed and excellent cut-backs to march 75 yards.

After forcing an initial Mineola punt, Pottsboro took over at their 11-yard line. Exploiting the edges of the Mineola defense with quarterback options, and mixing those runs with wide receiver screens, the Cardinals were churning out big chunks of yardage. The key play on the second drive was a wide receiver screen which went for 27 yards. They scored by running to the weak side from 12 yards out. 

Mineola responded through the air. Quarterback T.J. Moreland connected with Bradyn Alley, Brady Shrum, J.J. Gandy and Dawson Pendergrass on the 11-play drive. The key play was a 33-yard completion to Pendergrass which put the ball on the Cardinal’s 1-yard line. 

Moreland rolled right on the play and threw back left for Pendergrass on a go route. Pendergrass (who saw very limited action as a wide-out and punter) went up and secured the catch over the top of two defenders. Moreland scored over the right side on the following play. 

An unsuccessful on-side kick gave Pottsboro the ball at the Mineola 46-yard line. Using a quarterback lead sweep and lead options, the Cardinals scored four plays later, as the clock ticked over to the second quarter.

Largely through the air, the Jackets managed to drive the ball down to the Pottsboro 20-yard line in the ensuing possession. There the drive ended as the Jackets turned the ball over on downs. 

Pottsboro led 21-7. The Cardinals next possessions fairly well encapsulated the whole game. It was a wild, desperate drive. The Jackets had several great individual defensive plays during the sequence. In addition to having an interception nullified by an unassociated penalty, Xzavien Lipscomb made an excellent play on the drive’s initial play. He swatted away a deep throw on a post route having timed his lead at exactly the right moment.

The 17-play drive ebbed back and forth. Yellowjackets Nate Griffin and Coy Anderson had the first stops for negative yardage. Penalties moved the ball up and down the field. A 30-yard pass play over midfield and a late-hit penalty catapulted the Cardinals deep into Jacket territory. 

A quarterback scramble and a lead option chalked up the fourth Pottsboro score of the half. At the break it was 28-7, Cardinals.

Despite some flourishes by Mineola, it was practically all Pottsboro in the first half. The Cardinals racked up 290 yards of offense and scored on all four of their possessions. Mineola managed only 100 yards of offense, almost all of it through the air.

There was no traditional Mineola comeback in the second half. The Jackets turned the ball over on downs on a fourth-and-1 early in the half. Pottsboro then used a fake punt – which went for 30 yards – to propel them to a score. 

Both defenses played hard in the second half, with six punts exchanged. 

The Jackets added a score early in the fourth quarter. Coy Anderson, who came in as the signal-caller after Moreland incurred an injury, hit Shrum with a 47-yard catch and run. It closed the score to 35-14.

Pottsboro cashed in on a short field late in the game to conclude the scoring. A wide receiver screen from 10 yards reached the end zone.

The most noticeable aspect of the game was that Mineola could simply not continue to give up big points early. Although over the past few years, comebacks have become part of Mineola football lore, it is clear that in the 2021 campaign the early deficits are proving costly.

Perhaps though, most worrisome, was the near absence of a Yellowjacket running game. The longest gainer of the night was for 12 yards. Nine of 31 carries went for negative yardage. 

The three remaining games on the schedule – hosting Howe, at Emory Rains and hosting Commerce – will give Mineola opportunity to re-establish their identity. Finishing strong will open up a playoff spot.