ROARING BACK
SMITH LEADS MEIGS COUNTY TO WIN IN RETURN FROM INJURY
DECATUR, Tenn. — The state’s top-ranked Class 2A team is getting healthy, and that’s a scary fact for everyone left on Meigs County’s schedule.
After missing his team’s first four games this season with a leg injury, senior running back Martin Smith wasted no time reminding everyone packing Jewell Field on Friday night just how special he can be. After Meigs had already scored on its opening possession — needing just four plays to do so — Smith took his first carry and cut outside before outrunning the pursuit for a 68-yard touchdown.
That was just one of the highlights of a first half in which Meigs scored seven times on its way to a convincing 46-6 Region 2-2A win over Rockwood for its 22nd consecutive regular-season victory.
“It’s been tough to watch those first few games and not get to be out there,” said Smith, a 1,000-yard rusher last year who on Friday carried eight times for 135 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half. “I just tried to relax and not get too hyped up when I got in, but when I saw the hole open up, I wanted to take it all the way.”
Although Meigs coach Jason Fitzgerald didn’t need to remind his players they were facing the opponent that had ended their season in last year’s state quarterfinals, he did instruct them to make a statement early against Rockwood (2-3, 0-1).
They responded with a dominant display on both sides of the ball.
During Martin’s absence, junior Gabriel Maldonado, who was moved from receiver into the backfield, had established himself as a big-play threat. With both players behind the line, along with quarterback Aaron Swafford — a state Mr. Football finalist last year — Meigs now has a sudden wealth of talent at the skill positions. Maldonado ran 10 times for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with all but one carry coming in the first half, when the hosts outgained Rockwood 352-94.
Meigs (5-0, 2-0), which has won every game this season by the state’s 35-point mercy rule, ran 22 times for 301 yards in the first half and finished the game with 413 total yards. Its defense was equally impressive, holding Rockwood to zero or minus yards on 14 of 26 first-half snaps and limiting the visitors to 172 total yards, with 73 coming on a fourth-quarter drive against backup players.
“We lost two great players off last year’s defense, but we feel like we’re even faster on that side of the ball this year,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s not just one or two guys getting to the ball to make the tackle, it’s usually four or five at least. It was good to be back at full strength, and I like what we can do with Maldonado and Martin both back there.
“Our guys go to work every day at practice and then show up on Friday nights ready to show what they can do.”
“It’s been tough to watch those first few games and not get to be out there.”
– MEIGS COUNTY SENIOR RUNNING BACK MARTIN SMITH