A miracle catch and an even bigger stop. How Meridian football topped No. 1 Rocky Mountain
Meridian’s state-leading defense surrendered a Hail Mary with 1 second left Friday.
But instead of despairing, the No. 2-ranked Warriors rallied and stuffed No. 1 Rocky Mountain on the two-point conversion, sealing a 14-12 victory that clinched Meridian a spot in the 5A SIC championship game, as well as a bye into the state quarterfinals.
“It was a great team win,” Meridian quarterback Zeke Martinez said. “The coaches helped out a lot, the offensive line was doing great, and our defense held through a lot.”
Rocky Mountain threatened to send the game to overtime when a tipped 39-yard Hail Mary pass found Luke Luchini in the back of the end zone. The Grizzlies needed the two-point conversion, though, and linebacker Nathan Reynolds, joined by a host of Meridian defenders, stonewalled Art Williams at the 1-yard line, setting off a wild celebration.
“We always knew that (our defense) wanted to make it intense,” Reynolds said. “When it comes down to it, we know we’re going to be the bigger team and make the stop.”
The win snapped the Warriors’ 10-game losing streak to Rocky Mountain (6-1, 3-1 5A SIC Foothills), the state’s unanimous No. 1-ranked team the past five weeks. But more importantly, it set Meridian up for a postseason run and vaulted it into the league title game.
Meridian (7-0, 4-0) will host Eagle (5-2) in two weeks for the SIC title. Eagle clinched the River Division title Friday.
The battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2 lived up to the billing, with the state’s top two defenses locked in, and the teams trading field position and field goals. But Martinez gave the Warriors a much-needed spark in the fourth quarter with a 57-yard bomb to a wide-open Corban Freese. The senior receiver had five catches for 102 yards and a score.
Two plays later, Martinez found Luke St. Michell on a 9-yard TD toss to extend the Warriors’ lead to 14-6 with 2:13 left. Martinez finished 13-for-19 for 178 yards and two TDs.
“Zeke is getting better every single game,” Reynolds said. “Every week he’s learning something new and he’s coming out as a better player. That’s why we love him as our quarterback.”
Rocky Mountain chipped away on the final possession before quarterback Tegan Sweaney’s prayer found Luchini. But the Grizzlies couldn’t get the last yard they needed against the heart of Meridian’s defense to extend the game.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Reynolds said. “It took a lot of preparation (for Friday’s game) and working together as a team.”
This story was originally published October 8, 2022 at 12:46 AM.
