The Mineola High School junior varsity football team has battled opponents and luck through its first four games of the season. The Mustangs have one win and three losses after four games. The win came over North Shore by a 14-7 score. The losses have been 20-8 to East Rockaway, 22-0 to Clarke and 32-8 to Roosevelt. Head coach Mark Miller has 28 boys. There are 12 sophomores and 16 freshmen. "We are young and inexperienced with a number of first-year players. The boys have played hard in all four games and we've been competitive. As always, mistakes have hurt us in all of our defeats," said Miller. In the Mustangs' win over North Shore, the key play came in the second half when Mineola had a 14-7 lead, but, North Shore was driving and inside the Mustangs 10-yard line. But, sophomore Jimmy Logan caused a fumble, which was recovered by freshman Andrew Gross and North Shore was stopped. In that game, Mineola's points came on an 18-yard run by sophomore Nelson Lopes, a four-yard touchdown pass from freshman Jon Hock to freshman Rob Maloney, and sophomore Tiago Rodrigues scored a safety. In the season-opening loss to East Rockaway, Jon Hock hit Rob Maloney with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Those two hooked-up on the two-point conversion as well. In the loss to Roosevelt, Mineola got an exciting 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from freshman Mike Vasconcelos, while Nelson Lopes reached Jimmy Logan with a pass on the two-point conversion. Coach Miller listed the players who are keying the offense and defense. They are as follows:

Jonathon Hock, fr., quarterback and strong safety

Nelson Lopes, soph., running back and free safety

Tiago Rodrigues, soph., running back and linebacker

Jimmy Logan, soph., running back and linebacker

John Cloghessy, soph., receiver and linebacker

Rob Maloney, fr., receiver and defensive back

Dom Marques, soph., center and defensive end

Tony Dos Santos, soph., guard and defensive end

John Urrea, soph., offensive and defensive tackle

Mike Roo, fr., offensive guard and defensive end

Claudio Saavedra, soph., offensive and defensive tackle

Robert Kiss, soph., offensive guard and defensive tackle

Brian O'Malley, fr., offensive guard and defensive tackle

Mike Vasconcelos, fr., running back and defensive back

Andrew Gross, fr., receiver and defensive back