Turnover frenzy secures Meridian a 5A SIC title. Is the state’s best defense getting better?
The Meridian High defense has turned in so many dominant performances the past two years, it’s easy to take it for granted. But the Warriors set a new standard of excellence Friday.
No. 1-ranked Meridian shut out No. 3 Eagle 35-0 in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference championship, forcing five turnovers and scoring two defensive touchdowns to run away with its first district title and undefeated regular season since 2007.
“It’s been a great run, and we want to keep it going,” Meridian coach John Zamberlin said.
The Warriors (9-0) have forced turnovers in bunches all fall. And Friday’s feeding frenzy only added to their state-leading total, which now stands at 28 takeaways in nine games.
Ryan Corder got the party started with 33 seconds left in the first quarter, returning an interception 34 yards for the game’s opening points. Spencer Aland added a pick-six interception in the third quarter.
“The more those turnovers (kept happening), the more they started to give up a little bit,” Aland said. “You could tell it in the way they were running the ball. Those turnovers really do change a ballgame.”
Meridian’s offense made quick work of all the extra opportunities. A Mason Meyer interception in the second quarter turned into a Rylie Byington 17-yard touchdown catch five plays later.
Aland then recovered a fumble on Eagle’s next play from scrimmage. Zeke Martinez hit Corban Freese for a 22-yard touchdown pass on the next snap, giving the Warriors a 21-0 lead before halftime.
Friday’s dominant victory served as a sort of revenge. Meridian gave up a season-high 14 points to Eagle (6-3) in the season opener, a 36-14 victory nowhere near as close as the final score indicated. The Mustangs scored only after a muffed punt set them up at the 8-yard line, and then on a 92-yard touchdown run by Jake Longson against the backups.
But the Warriors remembered that and relished putting a shutout on the board. They held Eagle to 188 total yards, and the Mustangs entered the red zone only once Friday.
Eagle called a timeout with 3 seconds left to set up a meaningless field goal to put something on the board, but Justin Maas’ 33-yard kick fell short, marking Eagle’s first shutout loss since 2006.
“It’s just the team unity that we have,” Aland said. “We’ve all clicked together. We’ve been playing together for four years. We have a bond. We all trust each other to do our jobs. It’s just something that you can’t really get, and we’re so lucky to have it.”
Zamberlin watched his defense turn in dominating performances week after week the past two seasons. But, selfishly, he admitted that he’s not ready to see that group leave.
“I wish I had them back another year,” he joked. “Our linebackers are easily, in my mind, the best four linebackers in the state. They play hard. They’re hungry. They’re not ‘I’ guys. They get excited when somebody else makes a play. They are a lot of fun.”
Martinez and Byington led Meridian offensively on a night when the defense provided many of the highlights. Martinez finished 18-for-24 for 191 yards and two TDs. And Byington finished with 212 total yards on 16 offensive touches, serving as a weapon in and out of the backfield.
Byington said Meridian still has larger goals to chase.
“The job is not done,” he said. “Our goal is state, for sure. Nothing else but state. We’ve got tunnel vision right now.”
UP NEXT
Meridian: The Warriors get a bye next week before hosting the winner of Middleton at Lewiston in the state quarterfinals. Meridian has home-field advantage until the state finals.
Eagle: The Mustangs also received a first-round bye by making the conference championship. They will host the winner of Owyhee at Rigby in the quarterfinals in two weeks.
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 11:56 PM.
