Tigers Finish Regular Season The Right Way, Beat Mineola 42-21

MINEOLA—The impressive turnaround story of the Wills Point Tigers ended its final regular season chapter Friday night as they rallied from a 14-point deficit early to take a convincing 42-21 victory over the upset-minded Mineola Yellowjackets Friday night in Mineola.

Coach Kevin Garvin’s District 14-3A champion Tigers, who were 1-9 a year ago, ended its regular season schedule with an overall mark of 9-1 and an undefeated record of 5-0 in district play.

The Yellowjackets end their 2009 campaign with an overall record of 4-6 and a 1-4 mark in district play.

Wills Point will now enter the big school division of the Class 3-A state playoffs as they will take on Lucas Lovejoy, the runnerup team in District 13-3A, in a 7:30 p.m. bidistrict round kickoff Friday at Greenville.

Against Mineola, the Tigers had to withstand an early Yellowjacket attack.

Mineola received the opening kickoff and moved 80 yards in 11 plays to open the scoring.

Yellowjacket quarterback Tyler Drennon ended the initial drive with a 1-yard TD run. Matt Shade added the extra point to give Mineola a 7-0 lead with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter.

Key plays in the opening scoring drive for Mineola including running gains of 11 and 29 yards by Drennon and 11 yards by running back Paul Nevarez.

Wills Point gave the ball right back to the Yellowjackets on the ensuing kickoff as a fumble by Brett Bradshaw of the Tigers was recovered by Alex Kerby of Mineola at the Wills Point 22.

The Tiger defense stiffened and on fourth down and four at the Wills Point 16, Mineola sent in Shade to attempt a 33-yard field goal but the kick was low and no good.

A 14-yard run by RB Brandon Morris (10 carries, 91 yards, one touchdown) gave the Tigers a first down at their own 26 but three plays later, the turnover bug struck Wills Point again.

A third down pass from QB Trent Jurica of the Tigers was intercepted by Mineola linebacker Carlos Rivera and returned to the Wills Point 10.

Two plays later, Drennon connected with tight end Matt Cowley on a 7-yard TD pass play. Shade added the extra point to give the Yellowjackets a stunning 14-0 lead with 1:35 to play in the first quarter.

Following a Wills Point punt, the Yellowjackets took over possession but they were later forced to line up in punt formation.

The momentum began to switch to the Tigers as Wills Point’s Clay Deen blocked the Yellowjacket punt giving Wills Point possession at the Mineola 5-yard line.

Two plays later, Jurica ran two yards for a TD. Evann Padilla added the extra point to cut the Tiger deficit to 14-7 with 10:02 to play in the second quarter.

Following a Mineola punt, the Tigers moved 54 yards in four plays to tie the contest.

Jurica (10 completions, 17 attempts, 167 yards) ended the scoring march by connecting with wide receiver Steven Cunigan (seven receptions, 95 yards) on a 19-yard TD pass play. Padilla added the extra point to tie the game at 14-14 with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter.

The drive began with Jurica tossing a 29-yard pass completion to WR Marquis Burch.

Mineola suffered a turnover on the ensuing kickoff as a fumble by Jaquan Williams was recovered by Stevie Burch of the Tigers at the Yellowjacket 28.

Wills Point gave the ball back to Mineola two plays later as a pass from Jurica was intercepted by Yellowjacket defensive back Trent Chaffin at the Mineola 8-yard line.

The Yellowjackets later lined up in punt formation as another big play in the kicking game benefited the Tigers.

Bradshaw received the Mineola punt and raced 55 yards for a TD. Padilla added the extra point to give Wills Point a 21-14 lead with 2:51 to play before halftime.

Pass completions from Drennon on the next Mineola series to RB Kerby for 17 yards and receiver Brian Meankins for 10 yards gave the Yellowjackets a first down at the Tiger 25.

Two plays later, the Mineola scoring threat ended as Drennon’s pass was intercepted by Tiger DB Junior Hamilton and returned to the Wills Point 37.

Pass completions from Jurica covering 18 and 13 yards to Cunigan moved the Tigers into Mineola territory.

The turnover bug struck Wills Point again as a 17-yard pass completion from Jurica to WR Hamilton resulted in a fumble by Hamilton with the Yellowjackets recovering the ball at the Mineola 8 allowing the Yellowjackets to run out the first half clock.

Wills Point received the second half kickoff and marched 69 yards in seven plays to extend its advantage.

Jurica ended the march with a 1-yard TD run. Padilla added the extra point to give the Tigers a 28-14 lead in the third quarter.

Key plays in the Wills Point scoring drive included a 29-yard run by Jurica and a 30-yard pass completion from Jurica to Hamilton.

Mineola moved from its own 45 to the Tiger 30 in five plays but the scoring threat ended three plays later on third down and 13 when Drennon’s pass was intercepted by Tiger DB Padilla and returned to the Yellowjacket 46.

On the next play, Tiger RB Brandon Morris raced 46 yards for a TD. Padilla added the extra point to give Wills Point a 35-14 lead with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Following a short Mineola punt, the Tigers took over possession in excellent field position at the Yellowjacket 31.

The scoring threat for the Tigers ended on fourth down and 16 at the Mineola 37 when Jurica’s pass to Cunigan was incomplete.

Three plays later, on third down and 12, Mineola gave the ball right back to the Tigers as Drennon’s pass was intercepted by Wills Point linebacker Joseph Gray at the Mineola 38.

Following a Wills Point penalty, Jurica connected with Cunigan on a 44-yard TD pass play. Padilla added the extra point to give the Tigers a commanding 42-14 advantage with 10:33 to play in the fourth quarter.

Mineola suffered a turnover on the ensuing kickoff as a fumble by Juan Palacios was recovered by Gray of the Tigers at the Yellowjacket 31.

After the Tigers were stopped on fourth down, the Yellowjackets closed out the scoring by moving 61 yards in three plays.

Nevarez (17 carries, 108 yards) ended the short drive with a 10-yard TD run. Shade added the extra point to cut the Tiger lead to 42-21 with 7:00 remaining in the contest.

Nevarez opened the final scoring drive for the Yellowjackets with a 41-yard run.