Two things to know about Meeker’s 59-8 win against Henryetta Friday night.
1. The Bulldogs scored three touchdowns on their first six snaps, effectively sealing the win with seven minutes gone in the game.
2. It clinched them a home game for the first round of the playoffs.
There were a few more details, like Meeker leading 33-0 after the first quarter and that the second half was played with a running clock.
And it was Senior Night, as the team honored a group of players who have made the playoffs all four years and created some dramatic moments for their fans.
Now it’s on to the first round of the Class 2A playoffs, which the Bulldogs will kick off by hosting Oklahoma Christian School at 7 p.m. Friday.
Oklahoma Christian finished third in district in 2A-3 and has a 5-5 record.
After the game Friday, coach D.J. Howell talked about the Bulldogs capping a regular season that had a rough start but a smooth finish.
Meeker built a big lead in its opening game against Luther but lost, 39-36, then lost again at home two weeks later to Perry and lost on the road at Jones in Week 5.
That put them at 2-3 halfway through the season. After that, they shifted into a higher gear and ran off five wins in a row.
“In August we were going through some practices and I felt we were kind of flat,” Howell said. “I felt we were checking the boxes, but we weren’t playing with the edge I wanted us to.
“I think it was because he had been successful and we were ready to get back to where we were in the playoffs last year.
“You warn them about it and you express it, and then we had to go out and lose a couple of times.
“I think we had to go through a learning experience because even though we had a lot of the same players back, each team is different and we had to grow to get back to this point.”
Following the Jones game, the Bulldogs outlasted a tough Chandler team, 30-22, and beat Okemah, 15-0.
Then they walloped Holdenville, Prague and Henryetta by a combined score of 157-36.
“I think we‘re executing at a pretty high level right now,” he said. “I feel pretty good about the way we’re playing going into the playoffs.
“I’m proud of them and I think we’re playing the right way and our mental state is right.”
By mutual agreement of the teams, the clock ran continually through the second half, limiting the Bulldogs’ snaps and stats.
Quarterback Jacob Martin led the way with 116 yards passing and two touchdowns and four rushes for 80 yards and a score.