Beck, Meadows score 3 TDs each, help Zebras beat Northfield on Homecoming

Val T.
Oct 4
4 min read

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Declan Gard Spencer Backus

Brant Beck ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter, and Trenton Meadows accounted for 189 yards of offense and also scored three touchdowns in the first half as the Rochester football ream handled Northfield 51-14 on a muggy Homecoming at Barnhart Field Friday.

Jabez Yarber also ran for a touchdown, and Spencer Backus kicked his first career field goal for the Zebras, who won their fifth straight game and improved to 6-1 overall and 6-0 in the Three Rivers Conference.

Rochester also beat Northfield for the fourth straight year. The Norsemen dropped to 1-5, 1-4.

But coach Ron Shaffer expressed concern afterwards. The 14 points allowed were a season high, and that included a 69-yard touchdown run to Northfield quarterback Jake Perney.

They also lost two fumbles and had a punt return for a touchdown called back on a penalty.

“Not really good focus tonight,” Shaffer said. “I’m not real happy with our execution at different times.”

Rochester scored on their first three drives and built a 21-7 lead after one quarter, but a Beck fumble gave the ball to Northfield at the Rochester 45 with 9:45 left in the half.

However, Northfield went four-and-out and turned the ball over on downs.

“That’s key,” Shaffer said. “I mean, you still have to get the sudden changes and attack those, but putting the ball on the ground too many times… you just can’t do that if you’re going to play championship football.”

On the second play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Carson Paulik dropped back, faked a handoff to Beck and hit a lonely Meadows behind the secondary for a 55-yard touchdown on play-action.

That put Rochester up 28-7.

Northfield went three-and-out. Zakk Parks took the punt 56 yards to the paint, but an illegal block penalty negated the touchdown and pushed the ball back to the Northfield 26.

Meadows scored on the next play to make it 35-7.

After another Northfield three-and-out, Rochester drove 53 yards in 46 seconds with Yarber carrying a misdirection play off left tackle for 19 yards and a score.

Declan Gard recovered a Northfield fumble on the first play on the ensuing drive at the Northfield 22 with 1:30 left, and Meadows followed with runs of 15 and 7 yards with the latter run going for a touchdown.

All in all, Rochester scored 27 points in a span of 5:38 to increase the lead to 48-7.

Meadows finished with 134 yards rushing and 55 receiving. He had 135 yards of total offense on six touches in the second quarter.

Aiden Wilson had five carries for 28 yards on Rochester’s first possession of the second half, which Backus capped with his field goal.

Holmes threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Good with 1:06 left for Northfield against the Rochester backups to complete the scoring.

Perney suffered an apparent left leg injury while covering a punt in the first half.

After the game, Rochester quickly decamped to the locker room for an apparent team meeting rather than milling with friends and family outside the weight room.

Accountability and “extracurricular stuff” appeared to be topics of conversation, according to senior two-way linemen Mason Hisey.

“I think a lot of us got distracted with today,” Hisey said. “You know, a lot of activities. We were methodical on the field. That’s all it was. Just an effort problem.”

Hisey was asked to describe the team’s senior leadership. He is one of 13 seniors.

“I’d say pretty good,” Hisey said. “It’s going to have to change a lot though. We’ve got to get guys in line. … I don’t think we get in guys’ faces enough and let them know what’s going on.”

Rochester drove 80 yards in 10 plays, all runs, on the opening drive. Yarber converted a third-and-2 with an 18-yard run, and Beck scored from the 2 on the next play.

After forcing a punt, the Zebras drove 62 yards in five plays. Paulik found Yarber in the left flat for a 20-yard completion in front of the Zebra sideline. A 12-yard Yarber run and a 10-yard Meadows run preceded a 20-yard Beck touchdown run up the middle on a fullback dive play to make it 15-0.

Perney broke contain and gained 15 yards on the ensuing drive. Shaffer called timeout, but an even bigger play occurred three plays later.

Perney spun away from a tackle attempt on an option keeper and broke into the clear and beat multiple chasing Rochester defenders for a touchdown to make it 15-7.

Meadows recovered a Beck fumble on the first play of the next possession for a nine-yard gain. Two plays later, a roughing-the-passer call on Northfield against Paulik along the sideline gave Rochester another first down, and Meadows ran 44 yards on an inside double counter to put the ball on the 2.

Beck’s 2-yard touchdown run with lead blocking help from Kale Shotts made it 21-7.

Zebra notes

Paulik was named Homecoming King, and Aubrey Miller was named Homecoming Queen.
Rochester came in No. 1 in the state in defensive scoring average but surrendered the throne to New Palestine, who beat Shelbyville 65-3. New Palestine has allowed 3.7 points per game, and Rochester is No. 2 at 4 ppg.
In other TRC action Friday, Maconaquah beat Lewis Cass 21-13. Rochester and Maconaquah remain tied for the conference lead. They will meet at Barnhart Field Oct. 17.

Rochester 51, Northfield 14

Northfield 7 0 0 7 – 14

Rochester 21 27 3 0 – 51

First quarter

RHS – Brant Beck 2 run (Trenton Meadows run)

RHS – Beck 20 run (Spencer Backus kick)

NF – Jake Perney 69 run (Mason Lyons kick)

RHS – Beck 2 run (pass failed)

Second quarter

RHS – Meadows 55 pass from Carson Paulik (Backus kick)

RHS – Meadows 26 run (Backus kick)

RHS – Jabez Yarber 19 run (pass failed)