Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

PREP FOOTBALL: Trojans hold on for win

EVERSON - It didn't take overtime to decide the second contest between Nooksack Valley and Meridian, but just like the first game this season it was still a thrilling finish.

Meridian's Tait Slesk intercepted a pass in the end zone with four seconds left in the game to seal a 26-22 win and hold off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Pioneers. Nooksack Valley scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game to erase a 26-7 deficit and nearly steal one that seamed all but over after the third quarter.

"We thought we had them put away," Slesk said. "We got a little lax in the secondary on defense and we can't let that happen but they are a good team. They showed that they have the kind of team that can make a comeback on you in just a few minutes right there."

The Pioneers pulled within 26-14 when Tyler Perry scrambled 9 yards for a score with just over three minutes to play in the game, then recovered the onside kick. Perry found Trevon Myhre five plays later on fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line to cut it to 26-22 following a 2-point conversion.

A minute later Nooksack Valley (7-2, 4-2, 5-1) took over again, this time on an interception by Perry. The Pioneers drove down to the Trojans' 36-yard line looking for the go-ahead score, but it wasn't to be. After three straight incompletions, Perry heaved the ball into the end zone and had a receiver open for a moment before Slesk sprinted over to snatch the ball.

"There wasn't one minute of that game where I thought we would win it," Meridian coach Bob Ames said.

Both teams came into the game with their postseason fates already decided. By virtue of a better number draw the Pioneers had already wrapped up the Northwest Conference's top Class 1A seed to the Northwest District Tournament. Nooksack Valley hosts No. 3 Lynden Christian on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.

The Trojans (6-3, 3-2, 5-1) are the No. 2 seed from the NWC and travel to Coupeville. King's, the Cascade Conference's top seed, hosts Friday Harbor in the other contest. All games are loser-out.

The number draw was done in the spring by the conference's athletic directors to determine seeding for the postseason in case a tie-breaker was needed. Because Nooksack Valley had defeated Meridian earlier in the season and both teams had swept its other Class 1A conference competition, the postseason seeds could be determined early regardless of the outcome of Thursday's game.

The Pioneers rally nearly spoiled another stellar game by Meridian receiver Mitchell Tripp. The junior scored three touchdowns and hauled in seven passes for 159 yards. Tripp gave Meridian a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter on a dazzling catch and run. He snuck behind the defense on a deep route and then broke a tackle to race 63-yards for the score. It was the first of two in the quarter for Tripp.

It didn't take long for Nooksack Valley to answer, however. On the next possession the Pioneers moved 57 yards in six plays to even it at 7-7. Anthony Reese hauled in a 21-yard strike in the back corner of the end zone for his ninth touchdown of the season.

The back-and-forth continued, this time with Tripp scoring again on a 20-yard pass over the middle to make it 14-7. Slesk hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to make it 20-7 and Tripp scored again with 26 second left in the third from 26 yards out to make it 26-7.

"When you don't have expectations of winning it's really cool when you have a chance to do it like we did the first time we played them, or when you actually get one," Ames said. "It's one of those things where you just don't count the little guy out."

Meridian 0 14 12 0- 26

Nooksack Valley 0 7 0 15- 22

Second quarter

Mer - Mitchell Tripp 63 pass from Zach Slesk (Carlos Alvarez kick)

NV - Anthony Reese 21 pass from Tyler Perry (Travis Benner kick)

Mer - Mitchell Tripp 20 pass from Zach Slesk (Alvarez kick)

Third quarter

Mer - Tait Slesk 5 pass from Zach Sleck (kick blocked)

Mer -Tripp 26 pass from Zach Slesk (pass fail)

Fourth quarter

NV - Tyler Perry 9 run (Benner kick)

NV - Trevon Myhre 5 pass from Tyler Perry (Perry run)

Mer NV

First downs 16 12

Rushing Att-Yards 31-63 28-74

Comp-Att-Int 20-30-2 14-30-2

Passing yards 334 167

Penalties-yards 5-35 3-30

Fumbles-lost 2-0 2-2

Individual leaders

RUSHING - Meridian: John Murphy 1-0, Zach Slesk 10-1, Bodean Norris 7-28, Jordan Warren 12-40, Mitchell Tripp 1-(-6). Nooksack Valley: Nick deGrasse 7-11, Tyler Perry 18-62, Anthony Reese 1-(-4), Trevon Myhre 1-3, Jon Charroin 1-2.

PASSING - Meridian: Zach Slesk 19-29-2-298; Mitchell Tripp 1-1-0-36. Nooksack Valley: Tyler Perry 14-30-2-167

RECEIVING - Meridian: Mitchell Tripp 7-159, Ryan Clark 1-36, Tait Slesk 8-102, Kody Carlson 4-37. Nooksack Valley: Anthony Reese 4-80, Kyle Handy 5-65, Nick deGrasse 2-4, Trevon Myhre 2-16, Luke VanderVliet 1-2