NOOKSACK VALLEY (3-3) AT MERIDIAN (4-2)
Time: 7 PM Friday
Site: Meridian High School
When Nooskack Valley has the ball: The boys in purple will be wide open and fling the ball all over the place. Baylor Galley and Ryan Veening have missed nearly the entire season, but the Pioneers have been able to plug and play more athletes. Evan Neitling is special, and stopping him will be key for the Trojans. Cole Eldridge can play either running back or wide receiver, Halston Boersema supplies a great target over the middle and Scout Whittern is a special athlete that can break loose on any play. Of course, quarterback Austin O’Bryan brings it all together with his outstanding abilities at quarterback. Linebackers Dylan Hickok and Cole Roberts should stay active in the middle of the field, while defensive backs Kevin Galiano and Dante Castaneda will be chasing receivers all night.
When Meridian has the ball: All senior quarterback Dawson Logan did last week was account for over 350 yards of total offense and five touchdowns on his way to being named the WIAA athlete of the week. Galiano and Hickok are fantastic receivers in the Trojan offense and tight end Cameron Webster could be a match-up problem when split out wide. Defensive end Landon Bruland needs to put pressure on Logan, but keep him in the pocket. Linebacker Cooper Clawson should be in on numerous tackles. The Pioneers need to force turnovers against the strong Trojan offense.
Historical Matchup Stats: Another rivalry that goes back an extremely long time. Five years ago it was Meridian defeating Nooskack Valley 60-28 behind a masterful rushing performance by Letrez Jones. He finished with 303 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 26 carries. In 1994 it was the Pioneers that got the best of the Trojans. Nooksack Valley needed the win to secure a post-season berth, and they rode running back Britt Lentz to a 39-13 victory. He ran for 243 yards and five touchdowns on 22 carries.
Bonus content: If you’re not able to make it to the game tonight, you can hear all the action on The Doug Lange Network. If you are able to make the game, please feel free to stop by the booth and say hello to me! It would be awesome to meet any of you that enjoy reading this content!
