The Liberal Redskins are 6-0 after a 21-14 win over the visiting Great Bend Panthers in front of a big homecoming crowd Friday night at the Gary Cornelsen Sports Complex. It was a hard hitting defensive oriented game as both team’s had to earn every yard on the turf at Redskin Field.
The Skins scored first. After having the ball second and goal from the GBHS one, two penalties pushed the Redskins back to a 4th and 16 from the 22. But Brooks Kappelmann lofted a 22 yard touchdown pass into the northeast end zone and Aidan Schwindt made the grab for the first score. Marco Alonso added the point after for the 7-0 lead at the 7:19 mark. It’s the third 4th down touchdown pass by Kappelmann and the Redskins in the past two weeks. Great Bend’s Maddox Spray intercepted a Kappelmann pass after it deflected off a Liberal receiver. He took it to the Redskin 29. Great Bend quarterback Daxton Minton’s two yard touchdown with 35 seconds remaining in the first quarter tied the game 7-7 after the PAT. Brooks Kappelmann lofted an eight yard touchdown to Zayden Martinez into the southwest endzone with 9:31 remaining in the half and Marco Alonso kicked the PAT for the 14-7 lead. Aidan Schwindt intercepted a Great Bend pass with 8:06 to play in the half. It was 14-7 at the half as Gio Reyes and Marypher Lopez were crowned homecoming king and queen. Neither team scored in the third quarter. Both defenses dug in during the third quarter and offensive penalties hindered both offenses all night. Great Bend scored in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Daxton Minton tossed a two yard TD to Maddox Spray with 8:06 to play. But the Redskins went 61 yards on the ensuing drive. Liberal pounded the rock to Xavier Porras behind their offensive line of Enrique Perez, Hudson Rice, Peyton Morlen, Mathew Trejo, and Davian Trejo. Brooks Kappelmann hooked up with Xavier Tafoya on a 19 yard pass play on the drive. Xavier Porras took in a one yard touchdown with 3:37 to play. Great Bend went four and out and gained one yard on the ensuing possession. Liberal ran out the clock for the win.
Aidan Schwindt was the Epic Touch Player of the Game with a touchdown receiving , an interception, and a punt which was downed inside the one.
LHS gained 260 yards. Redskins held the Panthers to 234 yards of offense. Xavier Porras rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Great Bend is 3-3 and 1-2 in the WAC. Liberal is 6-0 and 3-0 in the WAC. It’s Liberal’s first 3-0 start in the WAC since 2005. Liberal is 6-0 for the first time since 1999 when they started 10-0. Liberal has won three of the last four against Great Bend. The Redskins host Hays Friday night at 7pm with Redskin Pre-game at 6 1270 and 92.3.
