Coach: Bob Ames, 46th season with Meridian (328-160)
Home Field: Meridian High School
Last Season: 8-4 (4-2 NWC)
Key Losses: OL/DL Adam Kruzich; QB/DB Dawson Logan; RB/LB Dylan Hickok; OL/DE Trevor Pagnossin; WR/DB Kevin Galiano; RB/LB Cole Roberts; DB Dante Castaneda.
Top Returnees: QB/S Cameron Webster; OL/LB Joseph Plagerman; RB/DL Austin Anderson; OL/DE Mason Knutson; RB/LB Trent Martin.
2018 RESULTS
Sedro Woolley 10, Meridian 7
Meridian 27, Colville 14
Meridian 49, Mission (BC) 0
Meridian 21, Nooksack Valley 14
Mount Baker 41, Meridian 20
Meridian 35, Lynden Christian 20
Meridian 40, Nooksack Valley 27
Meridian 13, Mount Baker 9
Lynden Christian 21, Meridian 12
Meridian 59, South Whidbey 8
Meridian 40, Elma 21
Colville 42, Meridian 22
2019 SCHEDULE
09/06 – at Sedro Woolley – 7 PM
09/14 – Colville – 1 PM (at Peshastin-Dryden Sports Complex)
09/21 – Amador (CA) – 5 PM
09/27 – Nooksack Valley – 7 PM
10/04 – at Mount Baker – 7 PM
10/11 – Lynden Christian – 7 PM
10/18 – at Nooksack Valley – 7 PM
10/25 – Mount Baker – 7 PM
11/01 – at Lynden Christian – 7 PM
Cameron Webster – Senior – Quarterback/Linebacker
A major talent, but playing a brand new position after starting at tight end last season. His teammates look up to him (not just because he’s 6-foot-2) because of his leadership abilities. He should also continue to wreak havoc on defense, no matter where he’s lined up.
Austin Anderson – Senior – Running Back/Defensive Line
A bit undersized for a lineman, but he makes up for it with tenacity and a motor that never stops. His six sacks and six tackles for loss last season were each near the top of the conference. A fantastic pursuit player.
Mason Knutson – Junior – Offensive Line/Defensive End
Not exactly a carbon copy of Anderson, but not far off. Another edge rusher that can put great pressure on the quarterback. Six sacks and four stops behind the line of scrimmage as a sophomore. I expect a big leap in his junior season.
Trent Martin – Senior – Running Back/Linebacker
He didn’t begin 2018 as a starter on the defensive side of the ball, but when he got his opportunity, he made the best of it. 23 and a half tackles, and four tackles for a loss, highlighted his season. Most of it was done near the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. He should also be counted on as one of the main ball carriers in 2019.
Biggest Strengths: Putting pressure on the quarterback. This always seems to be a Trojan trademark. Meridian totaled 43 sacks last season, and the defense was led in that category by Knutson, Anderson and Webster. All return, and could do the same again in 2019.
Biggest Weakness: Inexperience at key positions. It wasn’t just graduation that hit them hard, but it was also a few key players that decided against turning out this season. Coach Bob Ames and his staff are working diligently to formulate first year varsity players into spots that work best for the team.
Who will be Meridian’s break-out player?
Ryan Johnson – Senior – Wide Receiver
The first year player has awesome athletic ability that has been seen on the basketball court as well as the baseball diamond. If he picks up the keys to the Meridian passing game quickly, he could become a major threat on the outside for Webster.
In his 46th year as head coach of the Meridian Trojans, Bob Ames has seen it all. He’s had his ups (three state championships in the past 20 years), and he’s had his downs (two winless seasons in his first 20 years), but the bottom line is that he can coach, and his kids love to play for him. He might need to do the best coaching job of his career in 2019, with many players that graduated and others switching positions.
One of those switching positions will be senior quarterback Cameron Webster. He caught 24 passes as a tight end in last season’s explosive offense, and he will be delivering the passes this year. You can imagine that he will have no problem taking off and running from time to time, much like Dawson Logan and Simon Burkett did before him.
There are a few candidates at running back, with senior Trent Martin bringing the most varsity experience. Juniors Logan Sharp and Andrew Kuljis should each see a lot of playing time as well, and true to Meridian form, they are both players that can split out wide when needed. Former offensive lineman Austin Anderson could also see time at running back.
Another completely new offensive group will be the receiving corps. The Trojans have a large group of players that are eager to show their strength on the perimeter. Juniors Ethan Brooks and Grady Burkett will get the first crack it, but junior Wesley Kurz and senior Ryan Johnson are too big and athletic to keep off the field. Senior Trent Gookstetter is a hard worker that has earned a spot as the starting tight end. He could be asked to do a lot, and most Meridian tight ends do.
The Trojans will return decent size to the offensive line, just not a lot of experience. Senior right tackle Joseph Plagerman returns with the most experience, and he could be leaned on a lot, especially early. Senior guards Zeke Thompson (6-3 250) and Sam Brooks (6-4 268) will help supply a nice wall for the new quarterback. Senior Elijah Guzman, junior Mason Knutson and sophomore Josh Groen also figure to be in the mix.
The defensive front could have many looks, and the Trojans like to put a lot of pressure up front. Knutson and Anderson are great at getting to the quarterback after both registering six sacks last season. Brooks will play defensive tackle while junior Andy Mellema and Gookstetter will also get a lot of time at defensive end.
Martin, Guzman and Sharp can all play inside linebacker with Kurz and Plagerman playing on the outside. Both Kurz and Plagerman will put their hands in the dirt at times as edge rushers.
Webster played outside linebacker last season, and he has been moved to strong safety. His overall athletic ability will allow him to roam the field and make plays. The 6-foot-4 Ethan Brooks will play free safety. Kuljis and Burkett will be the corners, while Johnson, junior Dominick Bash and sophomores Tucker Harrison and Braedon Blackwelder are all competing for secondary spots.
2018 STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING
| PLAYER | ATT | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Dawson Logan | 177 | 1085 | 6.1 | 19 |
| Cole Roberts | 114 | 695 | 6.1 | 5 |
| Dylan Hickok | 96 | 368 | 3.8 | 3 |
| Dante Castaneda | 18 | 96 | 5.3 | 1 |
| Dominick Bash | 3 | 58 | 19.3 | 0 |
PASSING
| PLAYER | ATT | COMP | COM% | YARDS | Y/ATT | TD | INT | RATING |
| Dawson Logan | 269 | 136 | 50.56% | 1867 | 6.94 | 16 | 8 | 80.57 |
| Dylan Hickok | 6 | 1 | 16.67% | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kevin Galiano | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
RECEIVING
| PLAYER | REC | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Kevin Galiano | 50 | 610 | 12.2 | 7 |
| Dylan Hickok | 34 | 568 | 16.7 | 3 |
| Cameron Webster | 24 | 319 | 13.3 | 4 |
| Cole Roberts | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 0 |
| Josh Neeter | 8 | 127 | 15.9 | 1 |
KICK RETURNING
| PLAYER | KR | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Kevin Galiano | 8 | 210 | 26.3 | 0 |
| Harlon Stuit | 10 | 182 | 18.2 | 0 |
| Dawson Logan | 6 | 116 | 19.3 | 0 |
| Dominick Bash | 2 | 38 | 19 | 0 |
| Dante Castaneda | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 0 |
PUNT RETURNING
| PLAYER | PR | YARDS | AVG | TD |
| Dawson Logan | 8 | 70 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Kevin Galiano | 6 | 49 | 8.2 | 0 |
PUNTING
| PLAYER | ATT | YARDS | AVG |
| Kevin Galiano | 19 | 584 | 30.7 |
| Taylor Snook | 10 | 315 | 31.5 |
DEFENSE
| PLAYER | TACKLES | TFL | SACKS | INT | PD | FF | FR |
| Dylan Hickok | 79.5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Dawson Logan | 65 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Cameron Webster | 50.5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Austin Anderson | 41 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dante Castaneda | 42 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Mason Kuntson | 37 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cole Roberts | 48 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trevor Pagnossin | 33.5 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Adam Kruzich | 25.5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kevin Galiano | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Tanner Bouwman | 17.5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trent Martin | 23.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Guzman | 11.5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Carillo | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Trent Gookstetter | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hesser Sotelo | 7.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Neeter | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Gomez | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nathaniel Rutledge | 3.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harlon Stuit | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Brooks | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taylor Snook | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Logan Sharp | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joseph Plagerman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dylan Watt | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SCORING
| PLAYER | TD | FG | 2PT | XP | PTS |
| Dawson Logan | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 114 |
| Kevin Galiano | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 58 |
| Dylan Hickok | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 |
| Taylor Snook | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 36 |
| Cole Roberts | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 |
| Cameron Webster | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Adam Kruzich | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Josh Neeter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Dante Castaneda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Harlon Stuit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Trent Martin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Trent Gookstetter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2019 ROSTER:
| No | Name | Year | Pos | Ht | Wt |
| 1 | Ryan Johnson | 12 | WR/CB | 6-2 | 190 |
| 2 | Cameron Webster | 12 | QB/S | 6-2 | 205 |
| 5 | Zack Loya | 11 | WR/K | 5-10 | 155 |
| 7 | Logan Sharp | 11 | RB/LB | 5-10 | 157 |
| 8 | Dominic Bash | 11 | RB/CB | 5-8 | 160 |
| 9 | Ethan Silves | 11 | WR/OLB | 5-9 | 160 |
| 10 | Andrew Kuljis | 11 | RB/DB | 5-11 | 155 |
| 11 | Wesley Kurz | 11 | WR/OLB | 6-3 | 170 |
| 13 | TJ Nagra | 12 | WR/DB | 5-4 | 135 |
| 15 | Grady Burkett | 11 | WR/DB | 5-10 | 160 |
| 17 | Tucker Harrison | 10 | QB/S | 5-10 | 128 |
| 18 | Ali Javad | 12 | WR/S | 5-7 | 130 |
| 20 | Trey Naidu | 11 | WR/CB | 6-1 | 150 |
| 22 | Trent Martin | 12 | RB/LB | 5-7 | 156 |
| 28 | Braedon Blackwelder | 10 | WR/CB | 5-10 | 155 |
| 29 | Dylan Watt | 12 | RB/CB | 5-8 | 150 |
| 39 | Austin Anderson | 12 | RB/DE | 5-11 | 180 |
| 53 | Justin Snook | 10 | OL/DL | 5-10 | 240 |
| 54 | Elijah Guzman | 12 | OL/LB | 5-8 | 200 |
| 55 | Isaac Iredale | 10 | OL/DE | 6-0 | 239 |
| 57 | Mason Knutson | 11 | OL/DE | 6-2 | 200 |
| 58 | Andrew Trautman | 11 | OL/LB | 5-10 | 185 |
| 59 | LeRoy Bell | 10 | OL/DL | 5-10 | 160 |
| 60 | Josh Groen | 10 | OL/DL | 5-10 | 205 |
| 62 | Zeke Thompson | 12 | OL/DL | 6-3 | 250 |
| 70 | Nathaniel Rutledge | 11 | OL/DL | 6-0 | 315 |
| 71 | Joseph Plagerman | 12 | OL/OLB | 6-2 | 207 |
| 72 | Jon Boger | 12 | OL/OLB | 6-2 | 200 |
| 75 | Sam Brooks | 12 | OL/DL | 6-4 | 268 |
| 78 | Jack Bernardy | 10 | OL/DL | 6-4 | 284 |
| 80 | Ethan Brooks | 11 | WR/S | 6-4 | 195 |
| 85 | Trent Gookstetter | 12 | TE/DE | 6-3 | 185 |
| 87 | Andy Mellema | 11 | TE/DE | 6-3 | 180 |
