In a game that came down to the final moments, Liberty North went back to basics.
The Eagles willed their way to victory behind a methodical ground game during a 38-26 victory on Friday against Blue Springs South. Running backs Micah Jo Barnett and Jacorey Love both ran for more than 130 yards to propel Liberty North to its sixth consecutive win and stave off the upset bid from a rapidly improving Jaguars squad.
Liberty North coach Andy Lierman said he was proud of the way his team responded to adversity to grind out an important victory.
“I’m obviously very happy with the win. The offense really carried the load tonight, and we were super excited about how they did that,” Lierman said. “… Tonight, we really needed to hang our hat on them, and they executed when we needed them to.”
Ranked No. 2 in the state, Liberty North (6-1) hadn’t been truly put to the test in recent weeks after posting a string of dominant performances. But Blue Spring South – still seeking its first win of the year – came out swinging.
With a huge catch on the opening drive, receiver Caysen Stevenson set up a Kendrick Hawkins touchdown that put the Jaguars in the lead, followed by a red zone drive on their very next possession. Liberty North’s Trey Snyder came away with an interception that foiled the scoring drive, but the Jaguars had already set the tone.
Despite its youth at several positions, Blue Springs South routinely battled back to put pressure on the Eagles, and Jaguars coach Alan Wilmes said he was glad to see how hard his team fought from start to finish.
“It doesn’t matter what our record is. We’re expecting to go win every game,” Wilmes said. “For us, it was a great effort, but not a complete effort.
“I’m happy how hard we played. We did a lot of good things, but we’ve got to clean it up so we can win those games.”
The Eagles threatened to run away with things in the second quarter when quarterback Martin Tillman threw touchdown passes to Keelan Smith and Joe Hall. But Blue Springs South answered with another touchdown run by Hawkins before the break that made it a one-score game at halftime, 21-14.
Before heading to the locker room, Lierman gathered the team and delivered an on-field message that seemed to have an effect to kick off the third quarter.
Liberty North took possession to begin the second half kickoff and marched right down the field, using almost entirely running plays. Behind a punishing offensive line, Barnett finished off the emphatic drive with a short touchdown run and said that drive was a crucial response.
“It meant a lot,” Barnett said. “We know how to battle adversity and overcome what’s going on. I know it’s a close game, and the team looks up to me. So I need to make plays when I need to.”
Even so, Blue Springs South continued to get stops on defense and score on offense, especially in the passing game.
Stevenson enjoyed one of his best games of the year and scored two touchdowns in the second half that kept the Jaguars within striking distance. His first touchdown was a highlight-reel grab that saw him outjump a defender for the touchdown.
Stevenson eventually hauled in another touchdown from quarterback Ayden Wilhelm with 2 minutes, 31 seconds remaining, and brought the Jaguars within five points. And even though the team would get no closer, Wilmes said he was proud of his team’s ability to respond time and again.
“We had a lot of great plays, and we responded, which is good,” Wilmes said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys. Ayden Wilhelm had a great game at quarterback, and a lot of guys are stepping up.
“I’m happy with their effort, but we expect to win.”
Down the stretch, Liberty North relied on its power running game to seal the deal when Love scored his second touchdown with 1:20 left to cement the victory.
Barnett (138 rushing yards) finished just ahead of Love (137 yards) in rushing yards, and it marked the second time this season that both of them surpassed the 100-yard total in the same game. For a team that hadn’t been pushed to this extent in recent weeks, Barnett said he was glad to see the Eagles rise to the challenge and emerge with the win.
“We needed this,” Barnett said. “We needed to learn how to battle adversity, especially early in the season before we’re in the playoffs.”
Though the passing game was largely held in check, Tillman still finished with 109 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Smith went for a team-leading 59 yards and a touchdown.
And despite giving up four touchdowns, Liberty North’s defense still made plenty of big plays – including two red zone stops and two takeaways – that Lierman made sure to shout out as part of the Eagles’ sixth straight win.
“We’ve got to shore that up, but hats off to those guys,” Lierman said. “They did a great job tonight, and I’m proud of our guys for responding.
“We’ve got a great defense. They’re going to keep learning to get better, and we’re going to be just fine.”
