BELLINGHAM – It was a true test for Meridian in its first conference game of the season, and the Trojans passed it as they defeated Mount Baker for the first time in six years with a score of 27-14 in front of the Homecoming crowd.
Meridian went on the attack early as senior quarterback Jaeger Fyfe launched a deep pass down the right sideline on the first play of the game which was hauled in by sophomore wide receiver Kasey Brennan for a 52-yard gain.
Three plays later, senior running back Landen Downey plowed into the end zone for four yards out to give his team the early lead.
The Trojan defense then forced a Mountaineer punt, but fumbled the ball away on its next possession, giving the ball back to Mount Baker near midfield, but the Meridian stiffened up once again and forced another punt.
The Mountaineers found some momentum on their third drive of the game, as they drove past midfield, but eventually turned the ball over on downs.
When Mount Baker forced a punt on Meridian’s next drive, junior punt returner Brice Cooper did something that hasn’t been done by a Mountaineer player in 12 years. He returned the punt 52 yards for a touchdown, which tied the score at 7-7 with 4:21 left in the second quarter.
The Trojan offense went on a quick-strike attack, and was able to drive 72 yards in less than four minutes, and when Downey scored his second touchdown of the game, this time for a yard out, it gave Meridian a 14-7 lead with 29 seconds to go in the first half.
Downey scored again in the third quarter when he took a short pass from Fyfe, and broke numerous tackles as he rumbled 52 yards for the score.
Mount Baker answered in the fourth with an 8-yard touchdown pass from senior Luke Smith to senior Brady Bruland to make it a one-score game with 8:34 left, but the Trojans went heavy on the run in the final minutes which controlled the clock, and picked up numerous first downs.
Fyfe scored on a 1-yard touchdown late to help ice the game away.
Meridian junior linebacker Xavier Perrin led the defense with 10.5 tackles, as he and senior defensive end Lincoln Hoefer each had 1.5 tackles for loss. Mount Baker linebackers Dylan Moa and Kamden Moa each had 10.5 tackles to lead their team.
The Trojans (5-1) will travel to Nooksack Valley (5-1) on Friday to take on the Pioneers at 7:00, and the Mountaineers (4-2) will travel to Lynden Christian (3-3) on Friday to take on the Lyncs at 7:00.
Meridian 27 Mount Baker 14 MB 0 7 0 7 - 14 MER 7 7 6 7 - 27 MER - Downey 4 run (Downey kick) MB - Cooper 52 punt return (E. Smith kick) MER - Downey 1 run (Downey kick) MER - Downey 52 pass from Fyfe (run failed) MB - Bruland 8 pass from L. Smith (E. Smith kick) MER - Fyfe 1 run (Downey kick) MB MER 39-170 Rush Att-Yards 40-206 3-14-0 Comp-Att-Int 12-19-0 34 Passing Yards 171 Individual Leaders RUSHING - MB: D. Moa 21-76, Bruland 11-74, K. Moa 2-20, Dugger 1-1, L. Smith 4-(-1). MER: Downey 18-131, Gray 16-65, Fyfe 6-10. PASSING - MB: L. Smith 3-14-0-34. MER: Fyfe 12-19-0-171. RECEIVING - MB: Mosher 1-21, Bruland 1-8, Ross 1-5. MER: Hedahl 4-29, Todd 3-23, Brennan 2-56, Downey 2-56, Larsen 1-7.
