DO-OR-DIE TIME

With Class 2A, DII playoff possibility on the line, Meridian Jackets hit the road to take on strong Hico Tiger squad looking for first postseason berth since 2017

Going into the final two games of the 2023 Texas high school football season, the Meridian Yellowjackets find themselves in unfamiliar territory – in a position to play for their first trip to the Class 2A, Division II postseason tournament since 2017.

Facing a do-or-die situation in a District 10-2A, DII showdown two weeks ago, the Jackets looked ready for the challenge as Meridian smashed the winless Hubbard Jaguars, 66-12, at Jacket Stadium to set up the final two-game stretch.

“We are very excited about the progress we have made up to this point,” Meridian football head coach Jim Kerbow said. “We have seen glances of greatness through the season, but we had not put it together until Hubbard. If we can play with confidence and continue to execute on a high level in all three phases of the game, we can be successful Friday night.”

Taking the first step this week, the Jackets (1-3 in district, 2-6 overall) will resume District 10-2A, DII competition after an open date last Friday by hitting the road to take on the surprisingly strong Hico Tigers (3-2, 6-3), coming off a 49-0 victory over Hubbard.

This will be the regular season finale for the Tigers, who edged Wortham, 23-22, and crushed Frost, 41-6, for their other two district wins. Last season, Hico knocked off the Jackets, 45-13, and Meridian has not defeated the Tigers since the two teams joined District 10-2A, DII in 2019.

“Hico could present some issues for our defense, because they align in multiple formations to misalign defenses,” Kerbow said. “Therefore, we must be attentive defensively on every play. Hico’s defense is physical, and they play extremely hard. They will align in multiple fronts to try and give the defense an advantage. We believe that if we can minimize mistakes and play a solid four quarters of football, we can we successful.”

In the big win over Hubbard, 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, while the Jacket defense swarmed the Jaguars the entire game.

Meridian’s 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.

“We are very excited that our offense came together last week against Hubbard,” Kerbow said. “Our players minimized mistakes and executed, which allowed us to move the ball up and down the field.”

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.

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.

“The defense has really played well in multiple games this season,” Kerbow said. “But against Hubbard, the defense really stepped up and swung momentum early in that game with multiple turnovers.”