DEMING – In the 100th meeting between Meridian and Mount Baker, it was a throwback game. Defense took center stage at Bob Tisdale Field on Friday night, where yards were hard to come by, and touchdowns were even harder, as the Trojans upended the Mountaineers 13-9.
The first half was a battle for field position, with both teams trading punts back and forth. The Trojans were able to spring one long play on their first drive when quarterback Dawson Logan hit Kevin Galiano on a short pass. Galiano made one defender miss and took it 36 yards, but Baker’s defense held Meridian inside the red zone.
Mount Baker did make one big mistake in the first half, however. Quarterback Kaleb Bass was rolling to his right, and avoided a few tacklers that would have brought him down for at least a 10-yard loss on a sack. He pump faked a few times, and then threw a desperation pass to avoid getting sacked that landed right in the hands of senior defensive lineman Adam Kruzich. The All-Stater rambled 36 yards untouched for a Meridian’s first score of the game.
The halftime score was 7-0 Meridian, with both offenses still trying to find what could work.
Mount Baker had corralled Logan, who had rushed for over 200 yards in each of the previous two games, as he only managed to pick up 14 yards on the ground. But, Logan went down with a wrist injury early in the third quarter, and he was replaced by Mr. Do Everything, senior Dylan Hickok.
The Trojans still maintained a touchdown lead, but the playbook most likely shrunk a little with the inexperienced Hickok behind center. Hickok, who usually plays running back and wide receiver on offense, managed well and was able to lead his team to its first offensive touchdown when senior running back Cole Roberts scored from a yard out near the end of the third quarter. The extra point was missed, though, and it was thought that it could be a huge break for the Mounties.
With less than nine minutes to go in the game the Mountaineers were able to turn the field advantage around when Michael Kentner blasted a 53-yard punt over Galiano’s head and Bass downed at the Meridian downed at the three yard line. Three plays later, it was Galiano’s turn to punt, this time his heels were near the back of his own end zone. He had to get the punt off quickly and Kobee Malone was able to return it to the Trojan 24-yard line.
Bass lasered passes to Kentner on two consecutive slant patterns, with the second one ending in a touchdown. Jason Lee connected on the vital extra point.
Baker forced Meridian to punt again on its next possession, and the Mounties took control on the Trojan 49-yard line. On first down, Bass rolled to his left and completed a 15-yard pass to Malone who made a miraculous catch, but the referees deemed that Bass had stepped past the line of scrimmage.
The penalty and loss of down backed the Mountaineers up, and they would ultimately have to punt again with time running out. Another great punt by Kentner put the Trojans at their own 16-yard line with 2:43 to go. Meridian ran two plays that resulted in lost yardage, and Baker used two time outs. On third down Hickok dropped back into his own zone, and was dropped by Kentner for a safety, which made the score 13-9 with 2:24 left in the game.
The Trojans kicked off from their own 20-yard line and great coverage allowed Meridian to gang up and tackle Malone at the Mount Baker 30-yard line. The Trojan defense played tough and forced Baker to go for it on 4th-and-8. Bass dropped back and found sophomore Ayden Rodriguez on an out pattern just beyond the first down marker.
Two plays later it was Malone who took a double hand off and ran for a 10 yard gain and another first down. A false start penalty backed Baker up five yards, and on the next play Bass unloaded deep down the left sideline for Kentner. The ball traveled 55 yards in the air, and Kentner came down with it and was bumped out of bounds inside the Meridian five yard line, but it happened again. Bass had stepped past the line of scrimmage.
Meridian defensive end Trevor Pagnossin sacked Bass on third down to force a 4th-and-25 situation. A pass to the left side line by Bass was on the money, and would have been a first down, but Galiano sprinted in to make a play on the ball and deflected it to force the turnover on downs.
The Trojans (6-2) will wrap up their regular season on Thursday night when they host Lynden Christian (6-2). If Meridian wins, then it will be the outright champion of the Northwest Conference 1A. If Lynden Christian beats the Trojans, and the Mountaineers win on Thursday, it will force a three-way tie for the championship. Mount Baker (5-3) will play host to Nooksack Valley (3-5) on Friday night.
Meridian 13
Mount Baker 9
MER 0 7 6 0 – 13
MB 0 0 0 9 – 9
MER – Kruzich 36 interception return (Snook kick)
MER – Roberts 1 run (kick failed)
MB – M. Kentner 9 pass from Bass (Lee kick)
MB – Safety, M. Kentner tackled Hickok in end zone
MER MB
39-136 Rushing Att-Yards 30-89
7-17-0 Comp-Att-Int 4-15-2
78 Passing yards 38
Individual Leaders
RUSHING – MER: Hickok 17-84, Roberts 10-31, Logan 8-14, Castaneda 4-7. MB: Barrett 11-53, Lee 12-28, Malone 1-10, Bass 6-(-2).
PASSING – MER: Logan 7-16-0-78, Hickok 0-1-0-0. MB: Bass 4-15-2-38.
RECEIVING – MER: Galiano 3-51, Hickok 2-18, Neeter 1-6, Carillo 1-3. MB: M. Kentner 2-25, Rodriguez 1-11, Malone 1-2.
