The scoreboard suggested Liberty’s season was nearly over. Looking at a 17-0 deficit against a Kennedy team that specializes in running the ball and running time off the clock, the Patriots had their work cut out for them.
But Liberty (9-2) simply refused to lose and completed a stirring comeback by outscoring Kennedy (9-2) 21-0 in the final 17 minutes of Friday night’s 21-17 win in the first round of the 3A state playoffs.
The win seals Liberty’s place in the state quarterfinals as on of the final eight 3A teams in the state.
Highline Stadium was packed with fans and the crowds for both teams were raucous through the game. Liberty fans overflowed the visitors stands and crowded around the field, standing on the track.
Liberty struggled on offense in the first half. The Patriots lost fumbles in two of their first three drives. Kennedy capitalized on the mistakes and utilized its strong rushing attack to build a 17-0 lead at half time.
Thomas Morrell kicked a 25-yard field goal, Tre Watson scored on a 25-yard rush and Nolan Washington scored on a four-yard rush.
Kennedy moved the ball well after half time, looking to put the game out of reach. But Liberty senior Eric Etter changed the momentum when he recovered a fumble in Kennedy’s backfield. After that play, the Liberty defense held Kennedy to three punts, an interception and just one first down on its final four drives of the game.
Meanwhile, the Liberty offense matched the defense step for step. With just over a minute left in the third quarter, Trey Wheeler hit Greg Ericksen for a 26-yard touchdown pass. On the Patriots’ next drive, the offense got within scoring distance and Wheeler took it in himself with a 21-yard quarterback keeper up the middle to pull the Patriots closer, at 17-14.
After another Kennedy punt, Liberty took the ball at its own 35-yard line with seven minutes left in the game in what would be the game’s deciding drive. The offense moved the ball well until Kennedy sacked Wheeler for a nine-yard loss. After an incomplete pass, the Patriots were looking at a fourth and 19 yards and forced into a punting situation.
Wheeler lined up to punt and caught Kennedy off guard when he faked the punt and passed to Richard Crespo for a gain of 21 yards, the first down and even more momentum.
Valach said he told Liberty special teams coordinator Brian Hartman that the Patriots would punt if they didn’t gain a first down, but Hartman convinced him to try the fake punt.
“He kept telling me, ‘It’s been there all night, it’s been there all night,’” Valach said. Valach gave in and the play may have saved the game for the Patriots. Liberty ran the same fake punt in an Oct. 24 game against Bellevue earlier this season and it didn’t work.
Six plays later Ericksen plunged into the end zone from six yards out for the 21-17 lead with 1:27 left in the game.
Kennedy got the ball and three timeouts. The Lancers moved the ball to Liberty’s 43-yard line before safety Taylor Hamann intercepted a Jason Thompson pass that squashed any hopes Kennedy held.
“I was surprised I caught it. I bobbled it for a few steps,” Hamann said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. . . . We just believed in each other. We worked too hard to let this one slip away.”
It was the sixth interception of the season for the senior, who actually worked through spring and summer camps as the team’s starting quarterback before Wheeler moved back into the Liberty service area and won the job.
“At that point as senior he had two options, either go in the tank or readjust and do what you can to help the team,” Valach said.
Wheeler completed 11 of 24 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Ericksen ended the day with 15 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown, to go with one reception for 26 yards and a touchdown. Crespo led the team in receptions, with four for 49 yards. Jake Bainton intercepted a pass and recorded seven tackles on defense. Bainton also caught two passes for 20 yards on offense.
Watson led all rushers with 115 yards, but just 13 of them came in the second half. Valach said the Patriots made some minor adjustments on defense to play the rush more aggressively.
Liberty gets a re-match at Bellevue this Friday (Nov. 21) at 7:30 p.m. in the state quarterfinals. The two teams met earlier this year with the Wolverines coming out on top 24-7. It was the only KingCo loss for Liberty this season. Bellevue beat Lindbergh 35-6 last Friday.
“We lost to them earlier but I feel like something’s going to change,” Hamann said. “We’re going to beat them this time.”
