Lake City faces big challenge after dominating Meridian

A couple of statistics show how one-sided the State 5A semifinal football game between Lake City and Meridian eventually was Friday.

No. 1 ranked Lake City (11-0) had the ball longer than Meridian. Consequently, the Warriors were on the field fewer times and the Timberwolves piled up the yards as they pulled away for a 31-7 victory.

Lake City had the ball 31 minutes and 3 seconds to Meridian’s 18:31. The teams were separated by just 2 minutes in the first half. The T-Wolves owned the ball the final two quarters.

That translated to LC’s offense being on the field 17 of the 24 second-half minutes.

No wonder the T-Wolves finished with 337 yards rushing and 432 total offense. Senior quarterback Garren Hammons accounted for a season-high 181 yards rushing on 25 carries and junior running back B.J. Palmer had 105 on 18 attempts.

“We didn’t make some plays and they made some plays,” Meridian coach Mike Virden said when asked about his defense spending so much time on the field. “Big games like this come down to one-on-one football. They did a very nice job of doing what they needed to do to get it done.”

Some of the most critical yards in the second half, though, were picked up by senior Brandon Hanna, who had rushed just 18 times for 109 yards before Friday’s game. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound fullback, who is also a standout middle linebacker, gained 50 yards on eight carries.

Hanna, who has given an oral commitment to the University of Oregon, had five of those carries on LC’s second possession of the third quarter when the T-Wolves scored on a 1-yard plunge by Hammons to extend a 10-7 halftime lead to 17-7 with 59 seconds left before the final period. Those five carries picked up 43 yards – 23 on one run – and two drive-extending first downs.

What penalties?

After they were called for a season-high 21 penalties back in late September, the Timberwolves made a concerted effort to temper, well, their tempers and untimely penalties.

While LC was penalized eight times against Meridian, a couple of the penalties were unnecessary. Still, the T-Wolves overcame those mistakes.

LC coach Van Troxel admitted his team was slapdash at times against the Warriors.

“Yeah, we had a few careless penalties, but they’re playing with passion,” Troxel said. “You’re going to have a few of those when you have emotion and passion for the game. I’ll take a few because those guys who made the mistakes also came back and redeemed themselves very well. They were real leaders (in the end).”

Traditional power

When LC squares off against second-ranked Highland of Pocatello (10-1) on Friday at the Kibbie Dome to decide the state championship, the T-Wolves will be facing the most dominant 5A team in the state.

Highland will be playing in its 11th state final in the past 12 years. The Rams have captured six state titles since 1993 and eight since the IHSAA started governing the state tourney in 1979.

“Winning never gets old,” Highland coach Gino Mariani told The Idaho Statesman newspaper after the Rams topped Centennial 19-14 on Friday, snapping Centennial’s 26-game home winning streak.

The Rams’ most recent state title came in 2002 – the same year LC captured its first in its final year in 4A.

Troxel has much respect for Highland.

“They’re the team that’s been the most dominant in the state the last 20 years,” Troxel said. “If we’re going to make a statement that we’re for real, it might as well be against Highland.”

Arizona State University coach Dirk Koetter established Highland’s tradition with the first state title in 1984. His brother, Brent, coached the Rams to four championships (‘95, ‘97, ‘98 and ‘00). The lone state title under Mariani came in ‘02.

Common opponent

While LC and Highland are located in opposite corners of the state, they did play a common foe this season.

The T-Wolves handled visiting Madison of Rexburg 41-14 on Sept. 8 in a game LC had a 34-0 lead through three quarters. Madison’s two touchdowns came against LC’s subs.

Highland defeated Madison 41-20 on the Rams’ home field, Idaho State University’s Holt Arena, on Oct. 13.