CLASS 2A ROUNDUP: Despite trailing by 32 points, Class 2A, DII Meridian Yellowjackets rally for dramatic double overtime win over Hubbard in district opener on Homecoming Night; Valley Mills falls to Italy in District 7-2A, DI opener
With their back firmly pressed up against the wall, the Class 2A, Division II Meridian Yellowjackets came out swinging to play their best football of the season. In the process, the Jackets walked away with the biggest comeback in the history of the storied Meridian High School football program. And Meridian’s first victory of the season could not have come at a better time.
Trailing by a seemingly insurmountable 32-0 deficit with 5:05 left in the second quarter, the Jackets rallied for 38 unanswered points for a dramatic 38-32 double overtime victory over the Hubbard Jaguars in the District 10-2A, Division II opener last Friday on Homecoming Night at Jacket Stadium.
“We gave the folks who came to Meridian for Homecoming a show,” Meridian football head coach Jim Kerbow said. “They certainly got their money’s worth tonight, I promise. It sure was a wild one. We let them get up in front of us with a heavy lead.
“But we preach to our kids all the time that you have to fight to overcome adversity. Our kids just kept fight, fight, fighting all night long. When you keep fighting, good things happen. Good things happened on that scoreboard on Homecoming Night.
“We are very proud of our kids for overcoming the adversity that presented itself Friday night. And that was a huge win for our kids and the community of Meridian.”
Named the Offensive Player of the Week, senior quarterback Matthew Jones ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the unprecedented comeback for the Jackets (1-0 in district, 1-3 overall), scoring on a one-yard plunge for the game winner in double overtime.
Despite struggling to move the ball in the first quarter, the Jackets started to get things rolling in the second quarter leading to a 26-point scoring spurt to make a game of it just 21 seconds into the third quarter. Jones finished with a team-high 140 yards rushing on 13 carries while completing nine of 15 passes for 82 yards and a scoring strike to senior running back Ian Gomez¸ who also rushed for 103 yards on 13 attempts.
Sophomore Ricky Shank also scored a touchdown while rushing for 67 yards on four carries. Junior Garrett Pope led the Jackets in receiving with three catches for 35 yards.
“Our offense struggled moving the ball in the first quarter,” Kerbow said. “Coach (Grant) Schur does a great job calling the offense. He found a niche out there, and he kept hitting them where they were weak. And the scoreboard reflected that with 38 unanswered points.
Hubbard (0-1, 1-3) quickly put Meridian in a 24-0 hole with 2:51 still left in the first quarter as the Jaguars broke several big plays for scores to build a commanding 32-0 lead. But then, the Meridian defense found a way to lock down on Hubbard. And even though the Jaguars managed to move the ball again late, the Jackets played bend-but-don’t break defense.
Named the Defense Player of the Week, junior Gunnar Chandler led the Jackets with nine tackles, one assist, three tackles for a loss, a sack and two caused fumbles, followed by Garrett Pope with eight tackles, three assists and an interception, Ezekiel Mabry with eight tackles and two assists, as well as Brandon Allen with eight tackles and a fumble.
“Multiple missed assignments and missed tackles on defense allowed Hubbard to score four touchdowns fairly quick in the first half of the ball game,” Kerbow said. “But once our defense settled in, Hubbard struggled to move the ball.”
But after the 26-point scoring surge, the Jacket offense once again struggled to move the ball as well. Still trailing 32-26 with 9:23 left in the game, Gomez returned a punt 75 yards for the tying score and possibly the biggest play in a game filled with big moments and clutch performances to earn the Special Teams Player of the Week award. And in preparation for the game, sophomore Jackson Boatwright was named the Practice Player of the Week.
“The punt return certainly swung momentum our way,” Kerbow said. “And with the offense finding their niche and defense playing soundly, we were able to take the game into overtime and come out on top.”
This week, the Jackets hit the road to take on the Frost Polar Bears in a key District 10-2A, DII matchup at 7 p.m. Friday. The Polar Bears (0-1, 1-3) will be coming off a 48-20 loss to Wortham in their district opener.
“This will be another must-win ball game this week if we want to keep our playoff hopes alive,” Kerbow said. “Frost has a lot of size, so we will have to be physical in all three phases of the game. We will need to clean up our mistakes from Friday night and go beat those Polar Bears on the road.”
ITALY 47, VALLEY MILLS 20
Featuring a balanced offensive attack, the Italy Gladiators took apart the Valley Mills Eagles, 47-20, in the District 7-2A, Division I opener last Friday night at the Gladiator Coliseum. The Gladiators (1-0 in district, 4-1 overall) passed for four touchdowns and ran for three more in the convincing victory.
“Italy is very athletic and hit us with a lot of big plays,” Valley Mills head coach Bob Featherston said. “We moved the ball offensively, but we have to eliminate big plays. Our team has the ability to be a good football team, but we must eliminate the youthful mistakes.”
Although the Eagles (0-1, 1-4) moved the ball effectively, three turnovers proved costly as Italy built a commanding 27-7 lead by halftime and never looked back. Junior Jasean Johnson rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore quarterback Blayne Griner completed eight of 14 passes for 86 yards and a score. Griner tosses a nine-yard scoring strike to sophomore Preston Southern in the fourth quarter, and connected with junior Jacob Garcia five times for 40 yards.
“We moved the ball effectively, but still had some times where we shot ourselves in the foot,” Featherston said. “If we can eliminate the turnovers, we can have a chance to compete against good teams.
“We have to get better defensively. We make too many alignment mistakes, and we give up big plays. In order to be competitive, we must be in the right place and make teams drive the full field.”
This week, Valley Mills will play at home against the pre-season district favorite and 14th-ranked Axtell Longhorns (1-0 in district, 5-0 overall) at 7 p.m. Friday as the Longhorns are coming off a 37-6 district opening win over Dawson.
“Axtell is very good on both sides of the ball,” Featherston said. “Their defense is attacking, and they are able to move the ball offensively on the ground and in the air. It will take a complete team effort on both sides of the ball to beat a team like Axtell.”
Photos by WENDY OROZCO & courtesy of VALERIE KENDRICK PHOTOGRAPHY
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