Lonoke was facing fourth and 1 at the Star City 20 Friday night, clinging to a 32-27 lead in the fourth quarter of its season-opening game.
Coach Doug Bost had watched running back Justin Meadows score five touchdowns already, and he had only one question for the senior.
FEAT OF THE WEEK
Justin Meadows
CLASS Senior
POSITION Running back/free safety
SCHOOL Lonoke
HT./WT. 6-1, 190
NOTEWORTHY Rushed for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns on 8 carries in Lonoke’s 38-27 victory at Star City on Friday night. Also threw a 15-yard touchdown pass, returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and returned a fumble 52 yards for another score. … Has orally committed to the University of Central Arkansas.
"You got one more in you?" Bost recalled asking Meadows. "He said, 'Yes, sir.' "
Meadows, a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All Arkansas Preps preseason team, came through with a 20-yard touchdown run that sealed Lonoke's 38-27 victory at Star City, which was the Democrat-Gazette's preseason No. 3 team in Class 4A.
The touchdown was Meadows' third rushing touchdown of the game and his sixth overall, which earned him the Democrat-Gazette's Feat of the Week.
Meadows, who has orally committed to the University of Central Arkansas, rushed for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns on 8 carries and threw a 15-yard scoring pass. He also returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and returned a fumble 52 yards for another score.
The performance didn't come as a surprise.
"We've been seeing it," Bost said. "We're expecting big things out of him offensively, defensively and on special teams."
Meadows scored his first touchdown in the first quarter on a 73-yard run that gave the Jackrabbits a 6-0 lead. Later in the quarter, Meadows returned a fumble 52 yards to make it 12-0.
With 4:45 left in the first half, Meadows threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Casey Martin and ran in the two-point conversion to extend Lonoke's lead to 20-7.
Meadows struck again with an 80-yard punt return that increased the lead to 26-7 before halftime.
Star City pulled to within 26-21 in the second half, but Meadows responded with a 33yard touchdown run to give Lonoke a 32-21 lead.
Hayden Jacks' 3-yard run cut the lead to 32-27 with 6:08 left before Meadows sealed it with his sixth touchdown.
"It was a great way to close out a big night," Bost said.
Lonoke has faced Star City in its season opener since 2010 but hadn't beaten the Bulldogs since their first matchup five years ago. Bost said beating the Bulldogs after losing 31-12 last season was important.
"That was huge for us," Bost said. "It was a great victory."
Sports on 09/10/2015