Warriors pull big upset on No. 13 Liberty

NEW RICHMOND — Senior night apparently was a greater source of motivation for Wyoming East than making the playoffs was for Liberty.

Brad Miller threw for three touchdown passes, Adam Morgan had two key interceptions and Logan Hall rushed for 103 yards as Wyoming East upset No. 13 Liberty 26-22, likely knocking the Raiders out of the postseason.

The Raiders (6-4) led 14-0 early in the second quarter but could not hold off a Warrior team inspired by the spoiler role. Liberty closed the regular season with four losses in its last five games after winning its first five.

“We just didn’t play well,” a despondent Liberty coach Jeff Alexander said. “We made too many mistakes and made too many turnovers. They deserved to win tonight because we didn’t play well enough to win.”

Miller had two touchdown passes — 10 yards to Blake Cook and 26 yards to Michael Milam — inside the final four minutes of the second quarter to pull the Warriors (3-7) to within 14-12. Liberty then drove to Wyoming East’s 11-yard line on the last drive of the second quarter, but Morgan intercepted an Austin Wright pass at the 1 just before halftime.

Things looked promising for Liberty in the second half. The Warriors started the first drive of the half on the Raiders’ 27 after a long kick return by Morgan, but turned the ball over on downs.

Liberty took control at its 28 and moved the ball well. The Raiders went all the way to Wyoming East’s 24, but Morgan came up with his second interception and took it to the Liberty 43.

On the ensuing drive, Miller’s third TD pass — six yards to Zach Blankenship — put the Warriors ahead 20-14 with 3.5 seconds remaining in the third.

“He played well for us,” Wyoming East coach Kevin Grogg said of Morgan. “He’s a senior. He should step up.”

In addition to his two picks, Morgan also had two long kickoff returns that set up a short field for the Warriors.

“We kicked the ball too low,” Alexander said. “When you have line drive kicks like that, you’re going to get a good return coming back at you.”

Liberty reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter on a 6-yard run by senior Tommy Newman. He added a two-point conversion run to make it 22-20 with 7:42 left in the game.

But Wyoming East was determined to end an otherwise dreadful season on a high note.

Starting on Liberty’s 49, the Warriors gained only two yards on three plays. But, on fourth-and-8, Miller hit Nick Rezzonico for an 18-yard completion and first down at the 35.

Two plays later, Hall had a 13-yard run for first down on third-and-4.

Finally, Rezzonico scored on a 4-yard run to make it a 26-22 game with 2:53 to go.

Liberty turned the ball over on downs on its next possession, but actually got the ball back at the Warriors’ 24 with :13.8 on the clock after a bad punt snap by Wyoming East. But Austin Wright threw a pair of incomplete passes to end the game.

Miller finished the game 13-of-27 for 138 yards for the Warriors. Cook had five catches for 54 yards.

“The kids really played hard,” Grogg said. “This was really the hardest game we have played all year. This was the kids’ only good effort, which is good because we have a young team.”

“To be sitting here 2-7 and to come out and knock somebody out of the playoffs, I can’t think of a better way to go out,” Hall said.

Newman finished with 102 yards on the ground for the Raiders. Josh Hodge had 99 yards on eight carries and 122 yards on four catches. He scored both Liberty touchdowns in the first half — a 72-yard run with 11:08 left in the first quarter, and a 21-yard catch from Wright with 11:07 to play in the second.

Wright was 6-of-17 for 152 yards for the Raiders.



Wyoming East 26, Liberty 22

L (6-4) 6 8 0 8 — 22

WE (3-7) 0 12 8 6 — 26

First Quarter

L: Josh Hodge 72 run (run failed), 11:08.

Second Quarter

L: Hodge 21 pass from Austin Wright (Nick Hylton run), 11:07.

WE: Blake Cook 10 pass from Brad Miller (pass failed), 3:41.

WE: Michael Milam 26 pass from Miller (pass failed), 1:28.

Third Quarter

WE: Zach Blankenship 6 pass from Miller (Nick Rezzonico pass from Miller), :03.5.

Fourth Quarter

L: Tommy Newman 6 run (Newman run), 7:42.

WE: Rezzonico 4 run (pass failed), 2:53.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — L: Newman 17-102, Hodge 8-99, Hylton 7-12, Wright 2-(-11). WE: Logan Hall 25-103, Rezzonico 8-19, Ryan Simmons 2-12, Justin Chambers 3-8, Cook 1-1, Adam Morgan 1-(-17).

PASSING — L: Wright 6-17-2-152. WE: Miller 13-27-1-138.

RECEIVING — L: Hodge 4-122, Hylton 2-30. WE: Cook 5-54, Simmons 2-20, Hall 2-8, Milam 1-26, Morgan 1-18, Blankenship 1-6, Rezzonico 1-6.

TURNOVERS — L: Hodge (INT). WE: Morgan (2 INT).