How Eagle football rallied past Meridian in the 4th quarter, saving its SIC title chances
The first half Friday looked like much of the past two weeks for the Eagle High football team.
Not pretty.
The Mustangs turned the ball over three times, failed to find the end zone twice inside the 10-yard line and couldn’t get a stop defensively.
But Eagle rallied in the second half, erasing a 23-3 deficit to top Meridian 24-23 on Friday after Roy Hull punched in a 1-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left.
“We knew we were going to come back,” Eagle quarterback Jack Benson said. “But the way we did it was just awesome. This group of guys right here, we’re dudes.”
A loss would have all but officially eliminated the Mustangs (3-2, 1-1 5A SIC Foothills) from the conference title race. And throughout much of Friday, that looked like Eagle’s fate.
But it scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter on the state’s top defense (5.3 points per game) to stay in the hunt.
Eagle coach John Hartz pointed to the Mustangs’ brutal early-season schedule, which included Foothills games against defending state champ Rocky Mountain, conference favorite Mountain View, upstart Meridian (3-2, 1-1 5A SIC Foothills) and 4A power Bishop Kelly.
He said he’s learned a lot about his young team heading into the final three weeks.
“We knew at the start of the season those first five games were gonna tell us a lot about how tough we are,” Hartz said. “We’re really young, super young with a lot of juniors and sophomores getting playing time for us.
“So what those kids have done has really, really impressed me with their resolve.”
EAGLE RALLIES IN SECOND HALF
Meridian opened the second half with a 29-yard field goal from Eli Arsenault to take a 23-3 lead. But it was all Eagle the rest of the way.
The Mustangs scored on all three possessions in the second half. Brandon Reese atoned for a fumble at the 5-yard line in the first half with a 1-yard touchdown run to get things started. Then second-string running back Roy Hull punched in 9- and 1-yard touchdown runs to complete the comeback.
Starting running back Deeghan Martinho had to be helped off the field in the second quarter with a shoulder and neck injury. But Hull and the connection between Benson and tight end Donovan Jones led the comeback.
Jones finished with seven catches for 90 yards, none more crucial than a 28-yard catch on fourth-and-15 with 2:29 remaining. Jones said he told Benson to just put the ball up high and he’d go get it. Benson obliged, and Jones hauled in the jump ball surrounded by three defenders.
“His stock is sky high right now because of how good of a blocker he’s become and what a target he is,” Hartz said. “A lot of people are opening their eyes to what kind of player he can be at that next level. He just is a gamer. He wants the ball every down.”
Benson finished 16-for-27 with 190 yards and added 77 yards rushing. He orchestrated the final drive, stringing together 14 plays that covered 80 yards with 3:53 remaining and no timeouts left. But he turned it over to Reese and Hull in the Mustangs’ goal-line package for the game-winning zone read play.
Meridian had only allowed a single touchdown in the past three weeks and just three all season.
“They’re a good defense,” Benson said. “But they can be scored on for sure.”
MERIDIAN QB RETURNS, LEAVES AGAIN
Warriors star quarterback Malakai Martinez started his first game since injuring his shoulder in the season opener. But he didn’t finish it.
Martinez appeared to re-injure his shoulder after absorbing a big hit on a run in the second quarter. He gave way to freshman Zeke Martinez, his younger brother, who led the Warriors to three straight wins.
Malakai Martinez returned briefly to lead a two-minute drive before halftime. But he did not take a snap in the second half.
Meridian coach John Zamberlin said he wasn’t sure the extent of the injury Friday. But he didn’t pin the loss on it.
“We made mistakes to let them stay in the game,” Zamberlin said. “They came back as a football team on their field and made plays. So that’s about it.”
Malakai Martinez shined before leaving, completing 15-of-18 passes for 166 yards and running for a score. Zeke Martinez went 5-of-11 for 82 yards.
The Warriors have lost two road games by a combined two points this season. They also lost 14-13 at Mountain View in Week 1.
Friday’s loss also continues Meridian’s 15-game losing streak to crosstown rival Eagle.
UP NEXT
Eagle hosts Timberline (4-1, 0-1) next week as part of three straight Foothills games to end the season. Meridian (4-1, 0-1) hosts Skyview in another Foothills matchup.
This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 11:29 PM.
