BLAINE – A 27-yard field goal by senior Matthew Hayes with five second left in regulation gave the Borderites a 29-28 win over Meridian on Friday night.
When Trojan junior running back Landen Downey scored on a one-yard touchdown run, and followed it up with a 2pt-conversion run, Blaine was set to receive the ensuing kickoff, down 28-26, with 1:49 left in the game.
The kickoff went out of bounds, which meant the Borderites would start from their own 35-yard line.
From there, two quick passes from junior quarterback Colin Davis to senior wide receiver Hunter Vezzetti moved the ball 29 yards down the field which Blaine was now set up at the Trojan 36-yard line. Davis then threw a strike to senior slot receiver Jesse Deming for a 10-yard gain, and at that point there was a minute remaining.
A quick pass from Davis to senior Justin Minjarez got the ball to the Meridian 14-yard line, and with time ticking away, Davis handed the ball to junior running back Jaiden Paez who galloped nine yards to set the Borderites up 2nd-and-1 from the 5-yard line where a timeout was taken.
A flag was thrown on the next play with 21 seconds to go, which negated a touchdown by senior Conner Dalry.
Now backed up to the 10-yard line, Davis attempted two passes in the back right corner of the end zone, but came up empty on both tries. That set up the field goal attempt, which prompted the Meridian coaching staff to call a timeout.
Hayes, who had made a 22-yard field goal earlier in the game, wasn’t fazed as he nailed the 27-yarder to take the 1-point lead. Meridian had one last gasp after the kickoff, but a deep pass attempt fell short to secure the Borderite victory on homecoming night.
Blaine led at halftime, 10-6, behind a Vezzetti touchdown reception and the earlier field goal by Hayes. Meridian junior quarterback Jaeger Fyfe had a touchdown run in the second quarter for the Trojans.
The Trojans took control to begin the second half, and senior speedster Joshtyn Elmer did it himself when he took the second half kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to give Meridian a 12-10 lead.
Vezzetti then countered that with a 58-yard kickoff return of his own, which set the Borderites up in great field position. Moments later, it was Davis who ran in the touchdown from four yards out, and his 2-point conversion pass to Tyler Bouma gave Blaine an 18-12 lead.
Elmer scored his second touchdown of the third quarter on a 1-yarder off right tackle, and his 2-pt conversion run swayed the lead back to the Trojans, 20-18.
Davis scored his second touchdown of the second half on a 3-yard run, and his shovel pass to Dalry worked perfectly on the 2-point conversion, and Blaine retook the lead, 26-20. That would set up the Downey score, which was described earlier.
Six lead changes in all, it was an absolute classic that the Blaine fans will remember for a long time.
The Borderites (2-4) will stay home next week as they will face Bellingham (3-3) on Friday at 7:00 on Hall of Fame night. The following day at 1:00, the Borderites will induct their newest members into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame at the performing arts center.
The Trojans (3-3) will be at home on Friday to take on Lynden Christian (4-2) at 7:00.
Blaine 29
Meridian 28
MER 0 6 14 8 - 28
BLA 7 3 8 11 - 29
BLA - Vezzetti 19 pass from Davis (Hayes kick)
BLA - Hayes 22 FG
MER - Fyfe 18 run (kick blocked)
MER - Elmer 80 kickoff return (kick blocked)
BLA - Davis 4 run (Bouma pass from Davis)
MER - Elmer 1 run (Elmer run)
BLA - Davis 3 run (Dalry pass from Davis)
MER - Downey 1 run (Downey run)
BLA - Hayes 27 FG
MER BLA
40-180 Rush Att-Yards 26-122
7-10-0 Comp-Att-Int 15-23-1
53 Passing Yards 177
Individual Leaders
RUSHING - MER: Elmer 14-91, Downey 17-69, Fyfe 9-20. BLA: Shipp 10-58, Paez 11-36, Davis 5-28.
PASSING - MER: Fyfe 7-9-0-53, Elmer 0-1-0-0. BLA: Davis 15-23-1-177.
RECEIVING - MER: Elmer 3-29, Hedahl 2-21, Fuller 1-4, Downey 1-(-1). BLA: Vezzetti 6-95, Deming 6-53, Minjarez 2-30, Dalry 1-(-1).
