The boys’ basketball team at Meridian High School was finally back in action on Friday night, playing for the first time since December 19th as they took on their Northwestern District rival of Brentsville District. Meridian entered the game with a perfect 7-0 record while Brentsville was 0-9, and to say the Mustangs were ready to shake off the rust would be an understatement.
Will Davis got things going with an early three to set the tone, and then another bucket off a turnover on the next possession. Then it was everybody else’s turn to get in on the fun, as Meridian scored the game’s first 31 – no, that is not a typo, 31 – points in a relentlessly dominant first quarter. After trailing 34-2, Brentsville went on a miniature run in the second frame to keep the deficit in the thirties, but the Mustangs pulled away to a halftime lead of 59-13, and it only grew from there. Even with Jim Smith and staff sitting Meridian’s starters for most of the second half, the home team led 87-18 after three and then hit the century mark late in the fourth quarter, winning by a final score of 105-25.
“Unfortunately, not all of our games will be that easy,” Smith said postgame. That’s just about the only downside of Meridian’s performance – it’s hard to learn much in a game so lopsided, but nevertheless, it doesn’t take away the sweet taste of unleashing an absolute avalanche of points on a bitter rival.
Isaac Rosenberger scored 22 for the Mustangs to lead the way, while John Lyman and Billy Asel both had 13. Marquis Myles (12) and John Alversion (10) joined them in double figures, and 11 different players scored for the home team.
Meridian will now have an extremely busy week to prepare for, with a trifecta of home games against Millbrook, Trinity Christian, and Skyline on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, respectively. If the Mustangs can stay unbeaten throughout that stretch, they’ll be 11-0.