O’NEALS — In what has become a rivalry game, the Liberty Hawks took down the Minarets Mustangs in a battle of undefeated teams last week at Minarets.
Liberty, pretty much, dominated the entire game. Save for their first and last drives that ended in punts, the Hawks scored a touchdown on six straight drives for a 41-12 victory Friday night.
Minarets scored a third quarter touchdown, and another touchdown with no time left on the clock during a running fourth quarter.
Liberty got its usual performance from the ground attack with 235 yards. Henry Bilskey accounted for 171 yards from scrimmage, including 137 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Brody Von Flue had his best game as a varsity player. He was 8-of-10 for 140 yards and three touchdowns.
Liberty averaged 8.5 yards per play while Minarets averaged five yards. The Hawks held the Mustangs out of the end zone for the first half and until five minutes were left in the third quarter.
Minarets won the toss, and took the ball, to open the game. However, the Liberty defense forced a quick three-and-out, and a punt.
However, Von Flue was sacked and the Hawks had to punt for just the third time this season.
The Liberty defense, led by Deegan Shandor, Brody Sisco and Austin Graham forced another three-and-out. Brody Wilhelm broke up a third down pass.
On the punt, the Minarets punter tried to run on the Liberty defense, and gained just two yards to give the Hawks good field position.
It took the Hawks just three plays to find the end zone. Bilskey turned a third-and-10 into a 24 yard touchdown off a counter to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead with 4:51 left in the first.
The Badgers, on the heels of a Liberty penalty and three first downs drove inside the Liberty 10. The Mustangs faced a third-and-goal from the sixth, but as Shandor and Felipe Chavarria got to the quarterback, the throw went incomplete for an intentional grounding penalty.
On fourth-and-goal from the 23, Minarets completed a 16-yard pass, but turned the ball over.
The Hawks went on their longest drive in terms of plays and yardage of the year. They drove 93 yards on 12 plays to get into the end zone.
Benni Lounbandith opened the drive with an 11-yard gain. Bilskey gained 12 for a first down. Von Flue hit Tyler McCamey for 18 yards and a first down.
Von Flue hit Tye Davis for 14 yards, and then hit Bilskey in the flat for a 12-yard completion to the Minarets 16.
Bilskey converted a third-and-two for four, and a first down. Lounbandith closed the drive from four yards out for a 14-0 lead with 4:51 left in the half.
After an initial first down, Shandor sacked the quarterback to help force another punt.
Bilskey gained 23 to convert a third down to the Yosemite 38. Von Flue hit Bilskey for 15 yards, and Bilskey ran for 17 to the six. Two plays later, Lounbandith ran it in from two yards out with 18 seconds left in the half for a 21-0 halftime lead.
Liberty outgained Minarets 192-76 in the first half.
The Hawks took the second half kick-off, and marched 78 yards on eight plays to find the end zone. McCamey gained 13 for a first down. Wilhelm caught a nine-yard pass, and Lounbandith went up the middle for 22 yards.
Bilskey gained 11 for another first down. Two plays later, Von Flue threw deep down the left sideline into the end zone. Davis ran under the perfectly-thrown ball for a 28-yard touchdown catch for a 27-0 lead with 8:23 left in the third.
On the next play from Minarets, Wilhelm picked off the pass. It took just one play for the Hawks to find the end zone.
Von Flue faked a hand-off and rolled to his right and hit a wide-open Austin Graham at the five. He turned and walked into the end zone for another Liberty touchdown, just 19 seconds after the previous score. Carter Imperatrice made five of his point afters for a 33-0 lead.
The Badgers used a 52-yard kick return to get into Liberty territory. Six plays later, the Mustangs got on the scoreboard with a five-yard run on third down. The point after run failed for a 34-6 lead.
Bilskey and Lounbandith got the carries on the next Liberty possession. They traded off six straight carries for a combined 45 yards to the seven.
Von Flue hit Bilskey in the flat, and he weaved his way through the Minarets defense for a touchdown, and a 41-6 lead with 48 seconds left in the third.
The Mustangs got a 19-yard run and another 25-yard run to get to the Liberty 24. However, a tackle for loss by Graham and a pass completion for 10 yards on fourth-and-13 turned the ball over on downs.
The Hawks couldn’t overcome a holding penalty, and had to punt.
With time winding down, Minarets drove against the Liberty reserves. Minarets called a time out with four seconds left at the four to score a touchdown with no time left on the clock for the 41-12 final.