BELLINGHAM – The Bayhawks played, in my opinion, their best game of the season. They matched the Trojans pretty evenly for the first three quarters, but turnovers and big plays led to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and Meridian walked away with a 35-7 win at Civic Stadium on Friday night.
After a scoreless first quarter, Bellingham scored first on a quick fly-sweep pass to senior slot receiver Lucas Cousens who broke numerous tackles to get into the end zone from 13 yards out.
The Trojans answered when sophomore quarterback Jaeger Fyfe threw a deep ball down the left sideline for senior Hunter Jones, who was able to come down with it for a 29-yard score, which tied the game at 7-7 just before half time.
Fyfe threw his second touchdown pass of the game in the third quarter, this time on a terrific short route ran by senior Eli Jensen from four yards out. Amazingly, it was Jensen’s first varsity touchdown in his 32nd career reception.
Junior running back Joshtyn Elmer broke a 53-yard touchdown run in the beginning of the fourth quarter, which gave the Trojans a little more breathing room, and a 21-7 lead. Moments later Fyfe intercepted a Bellingham pass, and Elmer capitalized on the next play with a 35-yard touchdown run.
Elmer finished with a career-high 206 yards rushing on 14 carries. Meridian rushed for 399 yards as a team.
The Trojans finished off their scoring on the next play from scrimmage when sophomore safety Landen Downey intercepted a pass and raced 41 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.
Bellingham senior Logan Steeves totaled 102 of his teams’ 187 yards from scrimmage.
Meridian sophomore defensive lineman Lincoln Hoefer ended with a team-high nine tackles, and senior safety Hunter Jones intercepted his sixth pass of the season.
Bellingham was led on defense by sophomore middle linebacker Tyler Frost who had 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Junior linebacker Ruarc O’Malley had 8.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, and Cousens finished with eight tackles, and a tackle for loss.
The Trojans (5-4) will finish their season at South Whidbey (8-1), and the Bayhawks (3-5) will finish their season at Sultan (5-4). Both games are Friday at 7:00.
Meridian 35 Bellingham 7 MER 0 7 7 21 - 35 BEL 0 7 0 0 - 7 BEL - Cousens 13 pass from VanHofwegen (Poulton-Claypool kick) MER - Jones 29 pass from Fyfe (Jensen kick) MER - Jensen 4 pass from Fyfe (Jensen kick) MER - Elmer 53 run (Jensen kick) MER - Elmer 35 run (Jensen kick) MER - Downey 41 interception return (Jensen kick)
MER BEL 46-399 Rush Att-Yards 32-125 8-17-2 Comp-Att-Int 9-13-3 98 Passing Yards 66 Individual Leaders RUSHING - MER: Elmer 14-206, Castaneda 13-84, Downey 10-79, Gray 3-18, Fyfe 5-13, Driscoll 1-(-2). BEL: Steeves 30-96, VanHofwegen 2-29. PASSING - MER: Fyfe 8-17-2-98. BEL: VanHofwegen 9-13-3-66. RECEIVING - MER: Jones 4-51, Jensen 2-17, Elmer 1-22, Downey 1-8. BEL: Poulton-Claypool 4-35, Cousens 4-25, Steeves 1-6.
