MERIDIAN —
The message from head coach Larry Weems to the Meridian Wildcats after falling into a 21-0 deficit to Brandon last week was simple, “somebody better make a play, or it is going to get real ugly.”
From then on, the Wildcats certainly made their share of plays, climbing out from the three-score hole and rallying back to beat Brandon 38-35.
The 2012 Wildcats have been a rollercoaster to watch this season, sometimes appearing as the best team in the state and other times looking lost on the field. It was just two weeks ago against Oak Grove when Weems and the ‘Cats were on the wrong side of a comeback win. This week as Meridian is set to host Division 3-6A leader Petal at Ray Stadium today at 7 p.m., Weems isn’t quite sure what team will show up.
“We’ve been inconsistent on both sides of the ball this season,” Weems said. “If I could tell you why, that’d be it. We have played really well some times, and even in the same game played not so well. We have a lot of kids that have never played, and when you have a bunch of those, it can be inconsistent.”
With as many ups and downs as this season has brought for Meridian, it is only fitting the Wildcats would be thrown into the fire once again against Petal. Weems said the Panthers offer talent across the board and are well deserving of their place atop the division.
“They do certain things on offense that if you can’t stop, they can really hurt you,” Weems said. “They have a couple good players on offense, and when they go up to, they make plays on everybody. Our defense will have to limit their snaps, and on third downs, we are going to have to make sure we stop them and get them off the field.”
The 7-1 Panthers, ranked No. X in the state and No. 1 in Class 6A, are led offensively by senior quarterback Larson Barkurn (1,266 yards and 9 TDs passing and 306 yards and 7 TDs rushing) and junior running back Tyus Raine, who has rushed for 620 yards and nine touchdowns. Jamarcus Revies has 39 catches for 605 yards, while Jesse Jackson has 25 catches for 482 yards.
With such a crucial matchup on deck for the Wildcats, the key tonight will be forgetting about last week. Weems said his team will not only focus on getting off to a better start than last week, but also aim on playing for a complete game this week.
“I think you always want to start off well,” Weems said. “But just because you start off good doesn’t mean you will finish good. Obviously Brandon started off pretty good the other night and didn’t win. The game is played for four quarters; it’s played over 48 minutes. The team that plays the best over those 48 minutes is going to win, so you got to play the whole game.”
Region 3-6A has proven to be one of the deepest divisions in the state this season, with six teams at six wins or higher. Meridian is currently tied in the fourth and final playoff spot with Brandon and Hattiesburg and holds the tiebreaker over both schools.
The Wildcats (6-2 overall and 2-2 in the division) are led offensively by sophomore quarterback J-Mar Smith, who has thrown for 1,218 yards and 12 touchdowns and junior running back Richard L. McQuarley, who has rushed for 807 yards and seven touchdowns. Issac Johnson leads a balanced receiving corps with 24 catches for 302 yards and five touchdowns. Defensive backs Boderick Oliver, a senior, and C.J. Hampton, a junior, lead the defense along with defensive lineman Quez Scott, a Mississippi-Alabama All-Star selection.
With a win against the Panthers tonight on senior night, Meridian would put itself in the driver seat for a playoff berth.
“They know what is going on,” Weems said of his players. “These guys, they have been in this deal for a while. They know exactly what is going on and what is at stake in this game.”
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’Cats look to step off rollercoaster against Panthers
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