Meridian and East Side advanced last weekend in the first round of the Butler Area Midget Football League playoffs.

Meridian will play No. 2 seed Center Township in the semifinal round at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. East Side takes on top-seed Penn Street at 7. Both games are at Memorial Park.

Meridian 24, South Butler 7 — Three second-quarter touchdowns sealed South Butler's fate. Steve Shoemaker scored on a 1-yard run, and Jake Olenick scored on an 8-yard run. Jordan Cratty tossed a 50-yard touchdown pass to Shoemaker.Cory Hilliard intercepted a pass for South Butler in the third quarter, setting up a 3-yard scoring run by Travis Heeter. Ian Bergbigler ran for the conversion.Cratty scored the final touchdown for Meridian on a 20-yard run in the fourth quarter.

East Side 6, East Butler 0 — East Side scored the game's only points in the second quarter. Byron Minous scored on a 4-yard run. Minous intercepted a pass a few plays later, but could not convert.East Butler lost three fumbles in the second half.

Junior varsity playoffs — Meridian vs. East Butler, 2 p.m.; East Side vs. Penn Street, 3:30 p.m., both Saturday at Memorial Park.