I’m beyond impressed with Henry Enoch of Yoakum.
There are many people on Yoakum’s defense who deserve a lot of credit. Colt Lerch had a good night at end. Ethan Owens played well at his linebacker position. However, I think Enoch outshone them all, and it’s all because of one play.
Jeremiah Crawford broke into the open field, with nothing but paydirt ahead of him. Enoch ran him down, and saved a touchdown on that play. It was a hustle play, the biggest of hustle plays. Enoch had fantastic runs. He had great defensive plays. That hustle play won me and I’d dare to say many across the state over.
The contrast in running styles was a great watch.
We had Mineola smashing the edges with the speed of Crawford and Chantz Perkins. We had Yoakum pounding the rock with Enoch and Tyron Brooks. It was two teams who reach the same end through vastly different means, and both styles had success tonight.
The key to the Mineola style was getting that all-important edge player blocked, and they succeeded the majority of the time. The Yellowjackets are good at what they do, and it was a treat to see these two offenses that differed so much duke it out.
Jeremiah Crawford is an expert at that option. He handled the rock with a lot of poise in the face of a very physical Yoakum front tonight.
I have no idea whether we should have replay in high school football or not, and one play isn’t going to sway me to either side.
Late in the game, Chantz Perkins fumbled as Mineola was driving to go up three scores. Yoakum’s Ethan Owens picked it up and ran towards the end zone. He was ruled out of bounds. If he wasn’t ruled out of bounds, he would’ve clearly scored, turning a three possession game into a one possession game.
This can only end in one debate: should the UIL begin featuring replay in high school sports? To be completely honest, I have no idea. One play is not going to change my mind. However, I think it’s a conversation that we’ll need to have at some point in the near future. A replay might not have changed that call, but it could’ve, and I think that’s worthy of a discussion.
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Yes they need to have replay! They replayed a lot of the plays but not that one, well at least not at the stadium. I Love Our Bulldogs, am Very Proud of them and most defiantly if they would’ve replayed that, we would have overturned the game and came back and won. I think that play made a difference in the drive of the boys because there were a lot of missing flags also and it’s like they were playing against Mineola as well as the refs. Doesn’t amaze me it happens often with our Bulldogs but we always bounce back. So be prepared to see the Yoakuk Bulldogs at State again. Henry Enoch, aka Beastmode is very athletic and plays his ass off everytine hes on the field. No matter where you are, oh, you better beware, beastmode is coming through. He is a great, humble, and respectful kid and I pray some college picks him up and gives him a chance! He deserves it! Great game Mineola!
Saw the replay in a clip later. Yoakum’s player touched the ball while his foot was out of bounds which made it a dead ball before it was picked up. Correct call by refs. Hard call, but correct call.
Also, not sure Yoakum played the refs. 15 yds penalties to 50 for Mineola. Both teams had great squads. Both should be proud of making it to state.
As far as replay, I don’t think so. Part of the game is doing the best you can in the moment- including the refs. Replay changes the competition. In life, there are no do overs. You do the best you can and make the best choice you can in the moment, then learn from it. It’s how you respond to the adversity that makes the difference. Same on the playing field.