Meridian is set to take on Culpeper County in their home opener. (Photo by Monroe Duff)

The Meridian Mustangs will host Culpeper County on Friday, the 20th, at 7:00 PM for their home opener football game. The Mustangs have shown promise in their recent games, particularly in their rushing attack. In their last game against Dominion, they accumulated 242 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground.

If they can maintain this strong running game, they should be able to control possession and tire out Culpeper’s inconsistent defense. Culpeper allowed 45 points in their first game, suffering a significant loss, but rebounded in their second game, giving up only 17 points in a close win.

For the Mustangs, sustaining a robust ground game will be crucial to keeping Culpeper’s offense off the field. Their offensive line has excelled in the first two games and is expected to perform at a high level again this week, showcasing the effectiveness of the running game.

However, the Mustangs need to address some issues that have emerged in recent games. The secondary, particularly the cornerbacks and safeties, have struggled with tackling, leading to missed tackles that extended plays and drives from opponents. To improve their chances in this matchup, the secondary must step up. Meridian has been vulnerable to short passes that turn into 10-15 yard gains, so they need to work on limiting these plays and making crucial stops on third downs to regain possession.

It is imperative for Meridian to get out to an early lead in this game. In both of their previous games, they fell behind early. In their first game against McLean, they couldn’t recover from their initial deficit. However, in their win against Dominion, an interception by cornerback Jack Mossburg shifted the momentum, allowing Meridian to come back and win. Establishing an early lead and effectively running the ball to control the clock will be critical for their success.