FOOTBALL
1992 Season
As a junior, finding the field of play behind a loaded senior class would be difficult, but Ames found many ways to contribute.
In week one against Nooksack Valley he picked up multiple stops behind the line of scrimmage from his outside linebacker spot, while also rushing for 13 yards in the second half.
He then ran for 34 yards on just six carries against Mount Baker in week two, as the Trojans went into the WCL season with a 2-0 record.
The winning streak was halted as the Lyncs beat Meridian 21-8 in week three, but the Trojans bounced back the following week to defeat the defending state champion Lynden Lions 35-13.
Big wins over rivals Mount Baker (28-7) and Nooksack Valley (35-8) saw Ames get more playing time in the offensive backfield as he combined for 84 yards on 13 carries in the two contests.
He then scored his first varsity touchdown the following week in a 42-6 victory over Friday Harbor, and he scored twice more in a non-league 63-6 win over Aldergrove, BC.
The Trojans closed the season in the fog against Blaine, and a 31-14 victory clinched a three-way tie for the Whatcom County League Championship with Lynden and Lynden Christian. Ames ran for 40 yards, and scored his fourth touchdown of the season.
In the three-team tie breaker at Civic Stadium, the Trojans got revenge on the Lyncs, and beat them 14-6 to punch their ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 1988.
First up was Montesano, and after the Bulldogs scored the first nine points of the game, Meridian scored the next 24. The Trojans then used a ball-control offense to held get the 24-17 victory. Ames finished with 28 yards on seven carries.
In the quarterfinals against Steilacoom, the Trojan defense forced five turnovers, and Meridian won 35-7. The scoring was capped off by a six-yard touchdown run by Ames.
It was a heart-breaker in the semi-finals for the Trojans, as injuries mounted up in the 27-24 overtime loss to Eatonville. Staring running back Nick Marino didn’t play because of a leg injury, and Rick Paxton injured his knee in the second quarter. That opened the door for Ames to take over.
He went on to score two rushing touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough as the Cruisers advanced to the state championship game.
On the senior-laden team, Ames still finished the season fourth on the team in rushing after finishing the season with 356 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The Trojans finished with a 10-2 record.
1992 OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
1992 DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
1993 Season
As one of the only players returning with varsity experience, a lot was put on the shoulder pads of Ames in his senior season.
Offenses stayed away from Ames, and defenses keyed on him all season, but he still managed to put up strong numbers.
In week one the Trojans outgained Orting 211 yards to 159 yards, but turned the ball over four times and ultimately lost 20-9. Ames had 40 yards rushing to go along with 4.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
It wasn’t much of a rematch against Eatonville in week two, as the defending state champion Cruisers won 51-0. In the game, Ames ran for 71 of his teams’ 82 rushing yards.
Meridian almost doubled up Concrete in total yards from scrimmage the following week, but the Lions used two big plays to get the 14-7 win. Ames finished with a career-high 120 yards rushing on 19 carries.
Ames then churned out 98 yards on 11 carries at home against Lakewood in a non-league game, but the Cougars made less errors and won the game 14-7.
An 80-yard touchdown pass and a 50-yard touchdown pass by Friday Harbor helped give the Wolverines their first WCL win in two years as they defeated Meridian 18-14. Ames finished with 80 yards and a touchdown.
Following a 34-14 loss to Blaine, the Trojans may have played their best game of the year at home against Lynden Christian. Meridian was winless, and the Lyncs were undefeated, and even though LC won 28-7, the toughness that Ames and the rest of his teammates showed in that game resonated. He finished with 115 yards rushing and his team’s lone touchdown.
The Trojans fell to the Mountaineers and the Pioneers to close out the season, and finish 0-9.
Despite finishing in last place, Ames was named All-WCL 1st Team at both running back and linebacker. He led his team in every rushing category, and finished third on his team in tackles for loss.
1993 OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
1993 DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
Football Career
It was a tale of two seasons for Ames’ varsity career, as he really got to witness the extremes of high school football. In 2014, he was named on the Top 500 list of greatest high school players from Whatcom County at #454. After high school, Ames continued his football career at the University of Puget Sound where he played running back for the Loggers.
CAREER OFFENSIVE STATISTICS
CAREER DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
