The Borderites kept it close until the fourth quarter on Friday night, but Meridian was able to pull away late to spoil Blaine’s homecoming game. The Trojans won 41-26, dropping Blaine’s record to 0-2 against league opponents, and 1-4 overall.
Trey Alexander, who plays quarterback and defensive back for the Trojans, had a fantastic game. He rushed for three touchdowns, including an 88-yard run in the first quarter, and threw for another. He also intercepted a pass on defense.
But great games from junior Borderite receivers Isaac Bouma and Hunter Candanoza kept Blaine in it for most of the game.
Meridian got out to a quick 15-0 lead to open the game, but Blaine answered in the second quarter.
Bouma caught a 45-yard reception and immediately followed it with another 13-yard reception that got Blaine inside the 10-yard line. Sophomore running back Asher Hagee finished the drive with a strong touchdown run to make it 15-7.
The Borderite defense then forced a turnover on downs to give the offense the ball at midfield. That drive was capped off with junior quarterback Connor Brown’s 18-yard pass to Candanoza, who made a phenomenal one-handed grab for a touchdown.
Blaine trailed 15-13 after a failed 2-point conversion.
Meridian was able to score another touchdown before halftime, but on the point-after attempt Blaine junior Matthew Campion flew in from the edge to block the kick, keeping it a one-score game.
Blaine scored next in the fourth quarter when a big reception from Bouma was followed by a 5-yard touchdown reception by Candanoza. Again, the 2-point try was unsuccessful, making it 21-19 Meridian.
But then the Trojans dominated the rest of the fourth quarter. Their offense looked unstoppable, and its defense held strong in the fourth quarter.
Meridian took a 41-19 lead after it intercepted a pass and forced a couple of turnovers on downs.
Brown and Bouma connected for a 30-yard touchdown pass with less than one minute to play, but Meridian recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
After the game, Bouma said that the Borderites beat themselves.
He said that there were a few crucial plays that they didn’t execute down the stretch, which allowed for the Trojans to come out on top.
“They weren’t doing anything special,” he said about Meridian. “There were a few times where I would get the play wrong, or someone would miss their gap, and (they’d) hit a big play on us.”
Bouma, who had 164 receiving yards, credited his teammates for getting him open.
Blaine’s offensive scheme relies on certain receivers drawing attention from the defense, allowing other receivers to wriggle free, he said.
“It’s not that I’m running a route (to get open), it's everybody running a route to make everybody open,” Bouma said. “And then our quarterback is throwing good balls.”
The Borderites will look to get back in the win column next week when they go on the road to Mount Baker on Oct. 16
