Mineola's Trevor Keener Wins ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Defensive Player Of The Week

Mineola's defense played an excellent game to vault the Yellowjackets to a 14-7 win against Pottsboro and into Friday's Class 3A Division I state semifinal showdown with Shallowater.

With Pottsboro knocking on the door for a tie -- or even a win with a subsequent two-point conversion -- linebacker Juan Vargas came up with the interception of a lifetime to seal Mineola's first trip to a fifth round playoff game ever. He also recorded a game-best 22 tackles.

But the Yellowjackets could not have been in that late game position without their key senior defensive tackle.

Mineola's Trevor Keener is the ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Defensive Player of the Week with 18 tackles, including two stops on fourth down that prevented Pottsboro from extending its halftime lead beyond 7-0.

Already up a touchdown after a long first possession score, Pottsboro faced 4th-and-1 at the Mineola 10-yard line. Keener (6-4, 260) led a push that swallowed fullback Patton Lyons in the backfield.

The Yellowjackets stalled for the third consecutive drive and Pottsboro made it back to the opposing 29-yard line midway through the second quarter. Keener sacked quarterback Zach Prichett for a loss of two yards on 4th-and-10.

Keener and company kept pushing while their offense sputtered for two first downs and 59 yards through the first half.

Pottsboro got down to the Mineola 1-yard line with 21 seconds left in the frame. A fumble on 3rd-and-goal bailed the Yellowjackets out of that situation.

Pottsboro got four possessions in the second half. Keener helped force back-to-back punts, Pottsboro lost a fumble at the 1-yard line again and Vargas got that game-clinching interception.

Keener will have to bring it again Friday at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood. Shallowater has a solid offense led by running back Cooper Ogle, a player who broke 1,600 yards to end the regular season, and quarterback Chris Contreras thrives when he can run outside of the offensive tackles.