Wildcats learn lesson from tie game

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
September 14, 2004
Meridian High School's Ed Stanley told the Wildcat Quarterback Club that last Friday's tie may have helped his team more than a win.
The third-year Meridian High head football coach told the contingent of 20 Wildcat supporters that the 14-all finish was a wake-up call for his team that entered the game ranked third in the state. The Wildcats fell to seventh in the poll this week.
It is an opinion that the Wildcat players also believe to be true.
Meridian High (2-0-1) finished last week's game with lopsided stats in its favor. The Wildcats gained 350 offensive yards, while the Golden Tornadoes (0-2-1) posted just 170 yards.
The Wildcats defense didn't allow an offensive touchdown, the Tornadoes scored on a punt return and a blocked punt, and Laurel only gained six yards rushing.
But Meridian High's offense did have trouble getting the ball into the end zone.
The Wildcats fumbled once at the Tornadoes' 8-yard line, and Laurel intercepted Meridian High's final pass of the game at its 1-yard line with 1:09 left in the contest.
Stanley reiterated to the members of the quarterback club continually during his speech and the afternoon's question-and-answer period his belief that the tie will help his team.
Meridian High's coach said his team needed to learn that while the work to get to upper echelon in football is difficult, it is even harder to stay on top.
The Wildcats learned how hard it is when you are a marked team against Laurel, and Stanley said the players are buying into his sell that the tie can end up being a positive for them.
Of course, the tie ballgame did leave a hollow feeling for the team.
Meridian High hosts St. Martin in the final non-district game of the season at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ray Stadium.