The Meridian High School football team came out on the short end of three costly first-half turnovers and a few questionable officiating decisions, and the Mustangs lost 35-21 on the road to Millbrook.
Riding the wave from a 2-1 start to the year and a statement 52-20 home win over Annandale last week, PJ Anderson’s squad traveled to Winchester for a Friday night battle against the Millbrook Pioneers. Meridian found itself at a disadvantage before the game even kicked off, as the bus that was supposed to transport the Mustang cheerleaders never arrived to give them a lift, so the dozens of parents and supporters who traveled from Falls Church had to step in by making some extra noise.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Though Meridian moved the ball well in the first half, it was the Pioneers who hit a few timely home-run plays, jumping out to a 21-0 advantage before Brayden Mellon sent the game into the intermission with a field goal at the buzzer. The Mustangs found the end zone for the first time on the opening drive of the third quarter, by way of a Duke Dawson touchdown run, and Alex Jacobson hauled in the two-point conversion to bring the road team within ten. But that was as close as they’d get.
A long touchdown pass put Millbrook ahead 35-14 early in the fourth quarter, and Meridian turned it over on downs in the red zone while trailing by two possessions in the final minutes, sealing the final score. Sebastian Roncoroni caught the second touchdown for the Mustangs on a pass from Cruz Ruoff.
Despite losing by 14, the Mustangs will be looking at two key moments that swung the game. Late in the second quarter, Meridian had a touchdown from their own territory called back due to a questionable holding penalty, and in the third quarter, Millbrook was stopped on a third down but got saved by an extremely late flag for a personal foul. The Pioneers would shortly afterwards score a touchdown to take a 28-11 lead, stalling the momentum Meridian had gained.
“We knew we weren’t going to get any calls tonight, and I don’t think we got a single call,” a frustrated Anderson expressed postgame. “But credit to Millbrook. That’s not to take anything away from them.”
Anderson cited Meridian’s three first-half turnovers – two fumbles and an interception – that ultimately doomed his team in the loss, forcing them to play from behind all night. But despite the outcome, the Mustangs once again showed they can compete with anybody.
Next week, Meridian will be back at home, taking on Fauquier on Homecoming night.
