BELLINGHAM – The game was close in the beginning, but Meridian had an answer for anything that Elma tried. The Trojans would go on to beat the Eagles 40-21 in the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs at Civic Stadium on Saturday night.
“When we come out and played like we did tonight, minus the few mistakes we had, we can compete with any team,” said senior running back and linebacker Dylan Hickok. “They are a run-first team, and you can’t make an argument otherwise. They run over and over again, and then it opens the pass. Our defensive backs played really well when the ball was in the air.”
Hickok was right, especially when it came to junior corner back Kevin Galiano. Galiano had an interception early in the game, and his second interception was in the end zone which halted an impressive Eagle drive that would have brought Elma within one score if a touchdown would have occurred.
Galiano’s third interception of the game came late in the fourth quarter when he stepped in front of an out-pattern ran by the receiver, and he took it 41 yards for a touchdown.
Senior quarterback Dawson Logan was also able to find Galiano for a huge four-yard touchdown pass with three seconds to go in the second quarter. The touchdown put the Trojans up 19-14 at half time.
Logan also scored on three rushing touchdowns of his own, and he finished with a game-high 185 yards rushing on 28 carries. Hickok also scored on a 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and he led Meridian in receiving with three catches for 79 yards.
The win sends Meridian (8-3) to the quarterfinals of the state tournament, and it will face Colville (8-2) on Saturday at Civic Stadium at 1:00. The Trojans beat the Indians 27-14 back on September 8th. It was the last time Colville lost a game.
Elma 21
Meridian 40
ELM 7 7 0 7 – 21
MER 7 12 7 14 – 40
MER – Logan 1 run (Snook kick)
ELM – 28 yard touchdown pass (kick good)
MER – Logan 12 run (kick failed)
ELM – 51 yard touchdown run (kick good)
MER – Galiano 4 pass from Logan (run failed)
MER – Hickok 3 run (Snook kick)
ELM – 1 yard touchdown run (kick good)
MER – Logan 16 run (Snook kick)
MER – Galiano 41 interception return (Snook kick)
ELM MER
31-167 Rushing Att-Yards 53-295
8-17-3 Comp-Att-Int 8-19-0
104 Passing yards 146
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – ELM: N/A. MER: Logan 28-185, Hickok 15-59, Roberts 9-46, Castaneda 1-5.
PASSING – ELM: N/A. MER: Logan 8-18-0-146, Hickok 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING – ELM: N/A. MER: Hickok 3-79, Galiano 3-28, Webster 1-28, Roberts 1-11.
