Rabbs’ football season ends with playoff loss to Mineola

Atlanta’s football program had its share of bumps and bruises this year.

The program wasn’t fully able to field all of its players at the same time until late in the season, and the Rabbits still made the playoffs.

Unfortunately Atlanta was paired with a tough Mineola team who handed the Rabbs a 42-12 loss in the first round of the state playoffs.

First Quarter

Atlanta received the ball to begin the game and started its first drive from the 31-yard line.

Running back Keith Kinney gained two yards on a designed run before quarterback Cooper McClure connected with Kameron Dickerson for 27 yards.

Two plays later Mineola took a pick-6 interception to the house and went up 6-0 with 9:47 left in the first quarter of play.

The point after was successful and the Yellowjackets posted a 7-0 lead.

Atlanta answered on its second drive of the contest.

Running back Caleb Hamilton picked up 10 yards on the initial handoff and then bolted 57 yards to paydirt on the second play to put the Rabbs on the scoreboard.

Atlanta was without kicker Daniel Hernandez so they went for two.

The 2-point try was unsuccessful but the Rabbits closed the gap at 7-6 with 8:55 left in the first frame.

Mineola pieced together a near six minute drive which ended with another touchdown although tough hits by Matthew Cauley and Logan Shelton made them think twice about moving in their direction again.

The PAT set the score at 14-6 with 3:05 left in the opening quarter.

Atlanta punted the ball away on its next drive and the quarter ended with Mineola facing a second-downand-9.

Second Quarter

Nice tackles by Dickerson and Cauley put the Yellowjackets in punt formation with 10:38 remaining on the clock.

Atlanta pounded the rock with Hamilton picking up 28 yards on the ground during its next drive but a big stop on fourth down by Mineola gave the Yellowjackets control of the ball deep in its own territory.

Mineola chewed up plenty of clock time on its next drive as the Yellowjackets moved the ball from its own 15 to the Rabbit 15.

At one point during the drive Atlanta picked off a pass but a penalty on the play against the Rabbs gave Mineola a first down.

Hard tackles by Ashton Harper, DK Parker, Isaiah Henderson and Shelton rattled the ball carriers on the drive, and kept the Yellowjackets out of the endzone.

The Mineola kicker came in to attempt a 32-yard field goal but missed after a 12-play drive.

With 1:47 left in the first half the Rabbs handed the ball to Kinney a few times and went into halftime down just eight points.

Third Quarter

Mineola opened the second half with the ball.

In just three plays the Yellowjackets scored on a big TD run.

The PAT boosted the score to 21-6 with 10:36 left in the third stanza.

Both teams traded possessions until the 2:54 mark when Mineola scored again.

The PAT pushed the score to 28-6.

Atlanta punted the ball away on its next drive and the quarter ended with Mineola moving the ball into Rabbit country.

Fourth Quarter

The Yellowjackets scored again after an 11-play drive ended at the 7:45 mark.

Another successful PAT made the score 35-6.

A nice return by Stacy Darty set the Rabbs up at the Mineola 43.

The Rabbs gave Mineola a smorgasbord of runners on its next drive as Kinney, Hamilton, La’randion Dowden and Cody Maxie rotated on carries.

The drive ended with QB Justin “Catfish” Pierce connecting with Darty for a touchdown from 15 yards out on fourth down.

The 2-point try was no good and the score was set at 35-12 with 2:51 left in the game.

Mineola scored on the kickoff return and after the PAT the score was 42-12 with 2:40 left in the game.

Maxie took every handoff for the Rabbs on its next drive which ended the game and the Rabbs season.

Cauley was all over the field on defense as he racked up 15 tackles, two for loss and seven solo.

Shelton had 14 tackles with three for loss, Isaiah Henderson and Trae Adams both had eight tackles, Parker and Jackson Warren added six tackles apiece and Jordan Stiger posted five tackles.

Other tackling contributors were Dickerson, McClure, Harper, Kameron George, Tyrell King, Quentin Hill and Lakecion Richardson.

On the year Henderson was a beast from the linebacker position as he recorded 128 total tackles, 22 for loss, six sacks, 16 hurries, two caused fumbles and two recovered fumbles.

Adams added 87 tackles with 28 solo tackles, 11 for loss, three sacks and 10 hurries.

Cauley matched that with 87 tackles of his own, 32 solo tackles, eight for loss, two interceptions and three passes broken up.

Harper had 23 tackles with four for loss, one sack and two hurries, Michael Duckett had 22 tackles with seven solo tackles, Dickerson had 19 tackles with seven solo tackles, two interceptions and two passes broken up.

Keyshawn Easter recorded 15 tackles with an interception and 13 passes broken up, Tyler Fedrick had eight tackles, Carson Dillinger added six, George had six and Jagger Dyer had three.