Skins Tame Lions in District Opener

After four straight losses, the Liberal Redskins won their district opener Friday night at Goddard. The Skins overcame a 16-0 deficit to defeat the Goddard Lions 27-23. Liberal wins for the first time since September 12 at Guymon.

Liberal turned the ball over twice deep in their own territory in the first quarter. The first turnover gave the Lions the ball on the Liberal 32 and the second fumble gave GHS the ball on the LHS 16. The Lions, who averaged only 12 points per game coming in, got a four yard run by Dakota Driskell and a 14 yard pass from Kyle Young to Luke Vang to make it 13-0. A Daniel Weaver 34 yard field goal made it 16-0 with 3:06 to play in the first quarter.

Liberal rallied in the second quarter. LHS converted a fourth and nine play into a 19 yard touchdown pass from Jared Hasik to Rex Heronemus. Hasik found Kyler Thompson to make it 16-8 at the 10:41 mark of the second quarter. Hasik’s 35 yard TD pass to Cristian Erives made it 16-14 and the two point attempt failed. It was 16-14 Lions at the half.

Goddard took the opening drive of the second half down the field for a TD capped by Young’s five yard run to make it 23-14 with 7:34 to play in the third. But LHS came back and Hasik’s five yard rushing TD made it 23-21 after the Carlos Ramirez PAT. Liberal owned the only points of the fourth quarter as Rex Heronemus tumbled into the end zone from four yards out with 9:48 to play to make it 27-23. Liberal went for two but did not convert. Liberal’s Mershek Wiltshire intercepted a pass late to help LHS seal the deal. It was his third pick of the season.

Liberal had 300 yards with 150 in the air and 150 on the ground. Hasik was 6-13 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Goddard had 283 yards.

Both teams are 2-5 and LHS hosts 1-6 Goddard Eisenhower Friday night at 7 for senior night at the Cornelsen Sports Complex on 1270 and kscbnews.net.