Forget the high-flying ways that Meridian High won the 2008 state championship. These Wildcats have chosen to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

    Since the MHSAA Class 6A playoffs began two weeks ago, No. 2 Meridian has turned to a power running game to plow over D’Iberville and Brandon in the second half. Now, the Wildcats are looking for that ground game to carry them past visiting Petal in tonight’s South State championship game at Ray Stadium, starting at 7, and back to Jackson for the second straight year.

    “When you get to this time of year, and the conditions haven’t been bad, but if you can run the football and take control of the clock, it’s big,” MHS coach Larry Weems said. “The teams that are able to run the clock at this point of the season are the ones that usually do well.”

    In its two playoff wins, Meridian had rushed for 512 yards while throwing for just 101. But, the Wildcats aren’t abandoning the pass.

    “Hopefully, we can get more consistent throwing the ball,” Weems said. “It helps so much in keeping a defense from stacking the line. Especially if you can hit a big pass and score in a hurry.

    “But now that the playoffs are here and it’s win or go home, you don’t have time to work on consistency. You have to go with what works.”

    And with the Wildcats (13-0) having to play three quarterbacks throughout the season due to injuries, the consistency in the passing game has been absent. Senior Jibril Cox, who started Meridian’s first seven games before dislocating his thumb against Oak Grove, returned to offense in the first round of the playoffs. Freshman J-mar Smith, who replaced Cox for the Brandon, Petal and Terry games before spraining his ankle, also missed the season finale before starting against the Warriors in the first round. Senior Shanton Murphy started that final game and also played most of the second half against D’Iberville.

    With the duo back, the Wildcats’ run game has been clicking on all cylinders. Cox and senior running back Michael Hubbard both topped 100 yards against the Bulldogs last week. Cox has rushed for 859 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing four games on offense, while it was just Hubbard’s second time topping the century mark this year.

    That success on the ground could be critical this week against the 9-4 Panthers and do-everything quarterback Anthony Alford. The reigning Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year has thrown for 1,693 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for 1,461 yards and 19 more scores.

    “Taking care of the football and limiting Anthony Alford,” Weems said about the keys for MHS duplicating its 14-6 win against Petal in the regular season.

    That first meeting, which included a goalline stand in the final minute by the Wildcats, saw MHS succeed in containing Alford. The senior completed just 3 of 12 passes for 55 yards. He also rushed for 113 yards on 33 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown run. Still, Weems is wary of expecting a repeat performance.

    “Doing it once is one thing, doing it twice is another,” he said. “I thought the defense, obviously with just giving up six points, did a great job, that first go-round.

    “But I’m sure they are like all coaches and looked at what they did well, and thinking if I had done this or did that, we would have had more opportunities. I’m sure their staff is looking at all those things and are giving them a chance to make more plays and the same goes for us.”

    Meridian’s defense, though, has excelled at making plays all year. The Wildcats are allowing just 6.3 points per game and Meridian’s defense is unscored upon in the playoffs as D’Iberville scored with its defense. Last week, Brandon managed just 17 yards in the first half and the Warriors totaled only 83 yards in the first round.

    “They’re just a bunch of little dudes,” Weems said of his undersized defensive unit. “But they are quick and run to the ball. Our defensive coaches do a great job of gameplanning with them, and they just play so hard.”