Published: November 05, 2009 11:38 pm      

Meridian sails past Terry

Wildcats wrap up 10-1 season, ready for playoffs

Meridian coach Larry Weems wanted to see the Wildcats play at a high level before the Class 6A playoffs started.

The Wildcats' defense complied from the start of Thursday night's 54-12 waxing of Terry to clinch the Region 3-6A title at Ray Stadium. It took Meridian's offense a little bit longer, but it also played the part, totaling 448 yards.

"We were really, really sloppy early," Weems said. "We gave away a possession and we gave up a couple scores that we shouldn't have, but overall it was a good night.

"There were some positives, too."

Those positives included a defense that limited the Bulldogs (5-6, 3-4) to minus-27 yards in the first quarter and just 8 yards rushing total on 32 carries. The Wildcats (10-1, 6-1) — who will open the playoffs at home Nov. 13 — also got a defensive score when Jason Yarbor picked up a loose ball and darted 35 yards for a touchdown with 9:45 left in the third quarter.

"They couldn't run on us," Weems said.

Terry was able to beat Meridian for a few big passing plays, though. After posting the negative yardage in the first quarter, the Bulldogs scored early in the second to tie the game at 6. Terry quarterback Deshun Dixon found Willie Sherman on a 54-yard pass play at the 10:19 mark when Shaquille Fluker broke on the ball but was unable to make the interception.

Less than eight minutes later, the Bulldogs used another long gain in the passing game to stay close. Trailing 20-6, Dixon's pass was hauled in by Jamarian Jenkins off a deflection. Three plays later, Dixon found Xavier Rush in the corner of the end zone to pull the Bulldogs back within 20-12.

"We were there on both plays," Weems said. "I thought Shaquille was going to get the pick on the first one. I don't know if he jumped a little early or what, but I thought he had the pick. And their wide receiver made a pretty good catch when he didn't.

"We just didn't make the plays."

Meridian's offense made plenty of them in a big second quarter. After a fumble and two turnover-on-downs held the 'Cats' offense in check in the first quarter, Meridian racked up 267 yards in the second period and scored on each of its four drives.

After the Bulldogs tied it, Meridian answered right back. Senior running back Kenya Roberts — who scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter — busted through a hole on third-and-1 for 34 yards. Three plays later, including a 19-yard gain down the sideline from sophomore running back Jibril Cox, Roberts scored from 2 yards out. Roberts led the Wildcats' rushing attack with 89 yards on nine carries. Meridian rushed for 267 yards on 31 attempts.

Junior quarterback Antoinne Adkins then added a pair of touchdowns covering 11 and 49 yards before hitting Shelton Cole on a 32-yard pass with 1:05 remaining in the half. Adkins had 61 yards rushing on six attempts and threw for 166 yards on 8-of-11 passing.

"When we got going, we were going pretty good," Weems said. "I thought we played pretty well those last five minutes. We were able to go down the field bang-bang-bang and score and then we got the ball right back — and Terry helped by throwing a couple of incomplete passes — and were able to score in like 15-20 seconds from our two-minute offense."

Jacoby Eason and Michael Hubbard added scores in the second half for the Wildcats, Eason rumbling in from 15 yards out and Hubbard outrunning the Terry defense from 38 yards out in the final minutes.