By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 22, 2004
Brandon High School's Dan Davis may have come up with the only way to stop Meridian High School's rushing attack cheat.
The Bulldogs coach joked about using extra players to slow down the No. 4 Wildcats' Derrick Davis and Cordera Eason, who have combined for 1,722 rushing yards this season. Meridian High is averaging 280.6 rushing yards per game.
Along with trying to figure out "creative" ways to slow down Meridian High's offense, Davis is also trying to find away to break through the Wildcats' defense.
Meridian High is giving up an average of 157 yards and 14 points per game. The Wildcats have surrendered just 181 rushing yards, while giving up 918 passing yards this year.
Brandon relies heavily on running back Jeremy Horton to move the ball. The senior back has rushed for 1,040 yards this season and has scored 11 touchdowns nine rushing, one receiving and one interception return.
A reliance on the rushing game isn't the only similarity between the Bulldogs and Wildcats as they enter tonight's match up.
Both squads are coming off emotional wins from last week. Brandon salvaged its season with a 6-3 victory over Picayune, and Meridian High defeated Oak Grove 35-21 for its first win over the Warriors in three years.
The Bulldogs evened their conference record with the win over the Maroon Tide, but Davis said the team cannot dwell on its seven-day-old victory.
The Wildcats win marked the end of a revenge stretch for the team. Meridian High defeated the only two divisional foes it lost to last year Picayune and Oak Grove during its two-week home stand.
The Warriors defeated the Wildcats twice last year, in the regular season and the playoffs, and the Tide won the regular-season match up.
Just like the Bulldog players, members of the Wildcats know they cannot rest on their recent success.
Meridian High's game against Brandon can be heard locally on WJXM (105.7 FM) or WZKR (103.3 FM).