By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
Oct. 23, 2003
All kids grow up dreaming of throwing the game winning touchdown or making the game saving tackle. The Northwest Junior High Bulldogs and the Kate Griffin Junior High Kittens took just one more step to one day playing for the Meridian High Wildcats, as the two met to decide who was the best junior high football team in Meridian on Wednesday night at Ray Stadium.
After all the dust settled the Northwest Bulldogs took a convincing 28-0 victory and secured the 2003 Meridian Junior High City Championship.
In the eighth grade game the Kittens defeated Northwest by a final score of 30-6 to take a split with the Bulldogs.
Northwest 28
Kate Griffin 0
The Northwest defense forced four huge turnovers in route to the shutout win and take down the Kittens.
The Bulldogs cracked the scoreboard first thanks to the great running of Tyler Russell. Russell scored on a pitch sweep to the right and broke free for a 36-yard touchdown rush and put the Bulldogs on top 7-0 after the PAT by John Carrol with 5:26 left in the first quarter.
After a short kickoff by Northwest, the Kittens went to work on offense, but possession would turn sour for Kate Griffin. On the second play by the Kittens, Jesse Parker picked off a pass and raced 52 yards for touchdown and extend the Northwest lead to 14-0.
After the end of the first quarter the Northwest defense forced another Kate Griffin turnover. Lindsay Spinks secured an interception for the Bulldogs to set up the next score. Tori Adams found the end zone for Northwest on a 17-yard run and build the lead to 21-0 with 2:31 left in the second.
The Kittens tried to air the ball out and get a score before the half, but Northwest collected another interception. Parker was on the scene to grab his second interception of the game and lead his team into the half with the three-touchdown edge.
Northwest put the finishing touches on the win with another interception by Parker followed by a four-yard rush for a touchdown by Rodney Warren to give the Bulldogs the Meridian City Title.
Kate Griffin 30
Northwest 6
Kate Griffin used the genius legs of Cedric Blanks to get the easy 30-6 win over Northwest in the eighth grade game. The game started on a 37-yard interception return by Blanks to give Kate Griffin a quick 8-0 lead after a successful two-point conversion by Blanks with 5:41 left in the first.
Northwest cut the Kitten lead to 8-6 with 3:28 left in the second on a short two-yard touchdown by quarterback Marcus McQuarley.
Blanks proved to be to much as he built the Kitten lead on a 65-yard touchdown run and lead Kate Griffin to the win.
Blanks finished the game with 127 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Antonio Grace also added a 24-yard touchdown rush to round out the offense for Kate Griffin.