Meridian High coach Larry Weems said most coaches hope at the beginning of the year to go undefeated but few actually do.

    “The competition is just too good out there,” Weems said after his Wildcats shut out the Forest Hill Patriots 41-0 at Ray Stadium. “We always play to win so we are happy we have been able to go through the regular season without a loss. But next week will be different.”

    Friday, however, was pretty much the same as in the previous weeks as the Wildcats finished the year 11-0, 6-0 in Division 3-6A. Forest Hill dropped to 4-7, 0-7 in division play. The Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A and No. 3 in the state, open the playoffs when D’Iberville visits Friday.

    Michael Hubbard, the senior running back for the Wildcats had a field day with the Patriot defense as did senior quarterback Shanton Murphy, who was subbing for the injured J-mar Smith. Hubbard scored three touchdowns, two on receptions and one on the ground. Murphy threw another touchdown pass to wideout Tyler Henderson.

    Weems was hoping to rest some players and not get anymore hurt so his team would be as healthy as possible going into the playoffs next week.

    “We have some nicks and bruises to get over but we better do it quick before the playoffs,” Weems said.

    Meridian scored on four of its first five possessions of the first half to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room.

    Hubbard hauled in a screen pass from Murphy at the Forest Hill 14-yard line to cap an 81-yard drive. The PAT was good and Meridian led early 7-0.

    After a Patriot punt, the Wildcats were set up in excellent field position at the Forest Hill 31. Hubbard took the handoff from Murphy on a misdirection counter on the first play of the drive and scampered into the endzone for the quick score. In the early portion of the second quarter, Meridian had jumped to a 14-0 lead.

    Forest Hill and Meridian traded possessions but on a Meridian punt, the Patriot receiver mishandled the ball and the Wildcats recovered at the Forest Hill 18. Three plays later, Laderrick Roberts bulled in from 3 yards out but the PAT was no good leaving the score at 20-0.

    The swarming Wildcat defense again stopped the Patriot offense in its tracks forcing a punt. Meridian took over at the Patriot 46. Hubbard took in a short pass from Murphy, juked one defender and ran over another one at the 5-yard line for his third score of the night. The 2-point conversion was good and Meridian held a 28-0 advantage at halftime.

    For the first half, Murphy handled the offense flawlessly.

    “We expected him to play a solid game and he did,” Weems said.

    Wildcat defensive back, Aaron Finley, intercepted Patriot quarterback Joshua Moncure to end the first half and in the fourth quarter, Finley again picked off a pass but this time he took it to the house.

    A Murphy to Tyler Henderson connection in the third quarter had pushed the Wildcat lead to 35-0 before Finley stepped in front of the errant throw at the Meridian 12-yard line. Racing down the right sideline, Finley picked up crushing blocks enroute to the 88-yard pick six. The PAT ended the scoring at 41-0.

    “We still have some things we have to correct before next week,” Weems said. “We got sloppy at times but it feels good to end the regular season with no losses.”