ONE GAME AT A TIME

Facing a must-win situation, Meridian Yellowjackets keep playoff hopes alive with first District 10-2A, DII victory, seeking first postseason berth since 2017

To capture their first trip to the Texas high school football playoffs since 2017, the Meridian Yellowjackets knew it would take three straight wins to close out the 2023 regular season. Facing a do-or-die situation in District 10-2A, DII action, the Jackets looked ready for the challenge as Meridian smashed the winless Hubbard Jaguars, 66-12, last Friday night at Jacket Stadium.

Junior quarterback Matty Jones tossed three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores while senior running back Brayden Wehmeyer scored four times to lead the offensive onslaught for Meridian (1-3 in district, 2-6 overall) while the Jacket defense swarmed the Jaguars the entire game.

“We are very proud of our players for their effort and focus Friday night,” Meridian football head coach Jim Kerbow said. “Our kids minimized mistakes and executed at a high level Friday night offensively. It’s hard to beat a team that can do that.”

Against Hubbard (0-3, 0-7), the Jacket offense came out firing on all cylinders and never slowed down the entire game, piling up a season-high 416 yards of total offense with a balanced attack. Connecting with six different receivers, Jones completed 15 of 15 passes for 231 yards.

Sophomore Jesse Scott led the Meridian receiving corps with four catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, while senior John Wyatt hauled in four passes for 61 yards and a score, sophomore Garrett Pope grabbed three receptions for 48 yards, and junior Bradley Kihnel caught a 13-yard scoring strike.

On the ground, Wehmeyer led the way for the Jackets with 126 yards rushing on 13 carries for three touchdowns, while Jones ran for another 44 yards and two scores.

In the meantime, the Jackets defense not only shut down Hubbard until late in the game, Meridian came up with some big plays that made a difference in the outcome, particularly a pick-six from Wehmeyer. Scott led the Jacket defense with 15 total tackles, followed by senior Noah Alvizo and freshman Josh Nunez with 12 each, as well as Pope and Wehmeyer with eight apiece.

“Defense played lights out, with Josh Nunez causing a fumble on Hubbard’s first drive and Austin Pogue forcing a interception with pressure on their second drive resulting in Brayden Wehmeyer scoring on a pick-six,” Kerbow said. “That really swung momentum in our favor, and we never looked back after that.”

Meridian special teams got in the act as well with Pope nailing a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Scott breaking free to score on a 62-yard punt return.

This week, the Jackets have an open week in District 10-2A, DII competition before taking on the surprisingly strong Hico Tigers (2-2, 5-3) Oct. 28 and closing out the regular season by hosting the Frost Polar Bears (0-3, 3-4) Nov. 4.

“The open week allows us to heal up a little bit and really hit some fundmentals, which will be crucial if we are going to challenge Hico in two weeks for a playoff spot,” Kerbow said. “In the next two ball games, we will have to be firing on all cylinders in all three phases of the game. Our margin of error will be very slim these next two ball games.

“Essentially, the next games are playoff games, and we will have to approach them in that manner.”