Randolph's Mekhi White (7) escapes a Nashoba Valley Tech defender in the third quarter of the Division 8 semifinal at Wayland High.
Randolph's Mekhi White (7) escapes a Nashoba Valley Tech defender in the third quarter of the Division 8 semifinal at Wayland High.Vanessa Taxiarchis/Wayland High School
WAYLAND — Randolph coach Jon Marshall knows what he has in senior Mekhi White, a phenomenal player capable of making big plays in big games.
In the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Division 8 semifinal, White punched in a 2-yard run and a 29-yard dash for scores and snared a game-clinching intercepton with 1 minute, 37 seconds remaining as the fourth-seeded Blue Devils staved off No. 1 Nashoba Valley Tech, 20-12, at Wayland High.
Randolph (11-0) is now headed to Gillette Stadium for a Super Bowl rematch with defending champion West Boylston (9-2).
“[White] stepped up in a really big game at crucial moments, you know, getting those clutch touchdowns to put us ahead, and then the big interception at the end of the game,” said Marshall of the returning Globe All-Scholastic back/safety. “Big players make big plays in big games.”
Now it is on to West Boylston, again.
“We had a good team last year, and we made mistakes and that cost us that game,” added Marshall. “That’s the lesson this team took and that’s what we’ve been fixing all year. We are going to focus on ourselves.”
Randolph struck first, when quarterback Abraham Cornet took a keeper up the right sideline for a 6-yard touchdown with two minutes left in the first quarter.
In the third quarter White (15 carries, 80 yards) scored from the 2 on the Blue Devils’ “bread-and-butter play” for a 14-0 cushion.
Nashoba Valley (8-3) finally got on the board on a 14-yard run by junior Jayden Garshong.
But White answered with his 29-yard burst.
“Coach put me back in there, he knew we needed a first down,” he said. “But, you know, ended up being a lot more than a first down.”
Randolph's Quentin Ostine (19) screams on the sideline after the defense's interception during the third quarter of a 20-12 win over Nashoba Valley Tech at Wayland High.
Randolph's Quentin Ostine (19) screams on the sideline after the defense's interception during the third quarter of a 20-12 win over Nashoba Valley Tech at Wayland High.Vanessa Taxiarchis/Wayland High School
NVT cut the deficit to 20-12 on a 10-yard toss from junior Nick Sloboda to Dylan Hall, but White shut the door with his pick. Sensing the target, he cheated to that side of the field.
“I had to go up and get it, because I knew it was one of those balls,” he said.
Added Marshall, “we stress to the team all week that . . . 11 guys have to win their one-on-one matchup. And if you do that, it lets players like Mekhi, you know, excel at the things they do.”
Randolph quarterback Abraham Cornet enjoyed the moment after a 20-12 win over Nashoba Valley Tech in the Division 8 semifinals.
Randolph quarterback Abraham Cornet enjoyed the moment after a 20-12 win over Nashoba Valley Tech in the Division 8 semifinals.Vanessa Taxiarchis/Wayland High School
Toby Moses can be reached at toby.moses@globe.com.