Burn Ban in Effect. All outdoor burning is prohibited in Franklin County.
The Mount Vernon Tigers began district play with a 71-7 win over the Mineola Yellowjackets on Friday night at Don Meredith Stadium.
The Tigers finished their non-district schedule two weeks ago with a 55-0 loss in Canton. An open week gave them an opportunity to get ready for the most important part of the schedule. On their first play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Jackson Grey called his own number and ripped off a 65-yard touchdown before the crowd was even settled in their seats. Mineola’s first possession ended with Mount Vernon breaking through the line on a punt attempt for the block. On the Tigers' second offensive play of the night, senior Brycen Fountain ran 30 yards into the endzone for a 14-0 lead. A quick three-and-out by the Yellowjackets and Mount Vernon snapped the ball for the third time as Grey connected with senior Brayden Baker for a 55-yard touchdown pass. With less than 3 minutes off the game clock, the Tigers opened up a 22-0 lead after a successful 2-point conversion. Mount Vernon’s fourth possession ended when they were forced to punt the ball away. Mineola’s quarterback threw an interception to senior Colton Johnson. He returned the interception to the end zone. The 2-point conversion was unsuccessful, and the Tigers' lead swelled to 28-0 as the first quarter ended.
Grey and Baker connected for another touchdown early in the second quarter. After the teams exchanged fumbles, Grey found senior Hunter Carrell for a 29-yard touchdown and hit Baker for his third trip to the end zone to secure a 50-0 lead. Mineola drove the ball down to the Tigers' one-yard line near the end of the half, but the Mount Vernon defense forced a fumble to keep the Yellowjackets off the scoreboard.
Senior Isaiah Hunter scooped up another Mineola fumble at the start of the third quarter and returned it for the Tigers’ second defensive touchdown of the night. A third straight Yellowjacket possession ended in a fumble, leading to Fountain’s second touchdown of the night. As the third quarter came to an end, Mineola lost a fourth fumble in a row and its seventh turnover of the night.
Mount Vernon's head coach and athletic director said his defense had focused on getting to the ball as they prepared for this game. “We felt like they were a little bit loose with the ball in contact,” he said. “Our kids did a great job of taking the coaching over the last two weeks, implementing it, and attacking the football. If you were the second or third man in, and it paid off.”
Grey added another touchdown in the fourth quarter with a 34-yard rush to the end zone to take the 71-0 lead.
Mineola had one final opportunity to put points on the scoreboard and took advantage with a touchdown to keep from getting shut out.
Mineola falls to 2-4 on the season and 0-2 in district play, while Mount Vernon improves to 4-1 and 1-0 in district.
“It felt great. It was what we needed. The last time we got to play, two weeks ago, was not our best effort, and it left a sour taste in our mouth,” McClain said. “You really can't ask to start district play any better.”
Next Friday, the Tigers head down to Emory to take on the Rains Wildcats. The Wildcats enter the contest with a 2-4 record and are 1-1 in district play. “Coach Oaks and them are going to have a great plan, and we better make sure that we get back to work and have one as well,” McClain said. “We cannot count our chickens. We cannot assume anything based on tonight that's going to impact next week. We still have to go play.”
That game is set to kick off at 7:30 in Wildcat Stadium on Friday night.
