Liberty beats Houston on final play to win SCA Championship
Wed, 10/30/2024 - 1:59pm
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By:
Andrew Snider, corresponding writer
In a game that had more drama than a 90’s soap opera, Liberty prevailed, winning a share of the SCA title along with Mountain Grove.
Picture this -- it's a 0-0 tie with only 9 seconds remaining in the game. The Eagles have the ball but are 42 yards away from the end zone and have zero timeouts. Overtime is looming. This is the last play of regulation. Eagle speedster Parker Tune takes the shotgun snap and hesitates for a second as if to pass. Houston blitzes an extra linebacker, and Tune takes off up the middle of the defense. He cuts across the field and narrowly misses being tackled by a diving defender. Tune then dashes down the sideline and outruns the last few Tigers on his way to victory. “It was a called play. We figured if they're gonna play way off, we're gonna give it to the fastest kid on the team and see what he can do,” said head coach Jansen Acklin.
The Eagles 6-0 win over the Tigers claimed their stake as conference co-champs and securing the #2 seed in the district tournament.
Field possession went back-and-forth all night. Both teams moved the ball, but great defensive plays, penalties and offensive miscues kept the score 0-0 until the last second heroics.
Early in the game, a promising Liberty drive ended when Houston's Bryson Jordan swatted away a would-be touchdown on fourth down.
A big run by Tiger DJ Riley set the Tigers up deep inside Eagle territory. On fourth-and-goal from the seven, Kenyon Walls returned the favor and swatted away Houston's scoring chance.
And so, the game went with big defensive plays all night long. Gavin Reese and Jasper Melby both came up with interceptions to stall Houston. Jordan Arthur and Mason Dodson knocked away Liberty passes to end Eagle drives. It just seemed like there was a force field around the end zone, until the final play of course.
Liberty ends the regular season with a 7-2 record, including three-straight shutouts. Now, it's time for the district tournament. Liberty will enjoy the comforts of “The Nest” and welcome the red-hot Springfield Catholic Fightin’ Irish, who bring to town a three-game winning streak.