CARUTHERS — The Liberty Hawks scored touchdowns on its first six drives and answered every Caruthers Blue Raiders touchdown for a 55-21 victory.
The Blue Raiders scored the first touchdown of the game, and the Hawks scored the next six.
At the halftime break, the Hawks had 317 yards of total offense to Caruthers’ 117. After the first drive of the second half, which resulted in a touchdown, head coach Mike Nolte pulled his starters and his reserves got plenty of playing time.
Tye Davis had trouble with a fourth quarter kick-off, then picked up the ball and ran past Caruthers’ coverage team for a 99-yard kick off return for a touchdown, the longest play in Liberty football history.
Henry Bilskey rushed for 125 yards on just 10 carries with three touchdowns. Three of his runs went for more than 20 yards.
The Hawks rushed for 324 yards on 31 carries, good for a 10.35 yards per carry average. Quarterback Brody Von Flue threw just four passes, two complete, for 92 yards and a 55-yard touchdown.
The Hawks gained 413 yards of total offense, and averaged 11.5 yards per play. Meanwhile, Caruthers gained 261 yards, and averaged 5.8 yards per play.
Caruthers opened the game with the ball, and it took just three plays to score on a 41-yard pass play for a 7-0 lead just a minute into the game.
The Hawks quickly struck back with a touchdown less than two minutes later.
On third-and-one from the Caruthers 43, Von Flue rolled to his right and hit tight end Austin Graham for a 37-yard pass play to the six. Tristan Ruiz scored the first touchdown of the game for the second week in a row. Carter Imperatrice hit the first of his seven extra points to tie the game at seven.
The Blue Raiders got an initial first down on the next drive. A tackle for loss by Blayz Ketcham and Nick Yrlas forced a third down. Under pressure from Deegan Shandor, Caruthers chucked the ball down the field.
Bilskey ran under the ball for the interception, and returned it 33 yards to the Caruthers’ 30. After a holding penalty, Tyler McCamey gained 16, and Bilskey got the first down on the next play.
The Hawks faced a first down after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the 28. Bilskey got the hand off to the short side on the right. He picked is way through the defense and broke away seven yards down field for a 28-yard touchdown, and a 14-7 lead with 3:54 left in the first quarter.
Three plays later, Bilskey, again, settled under a Caruthers pass for an interception.
Benni Loubandith got a first down with a 12-yard run on the first play of the drive. Bilskey ran for nine and McCamey gained 15 to the Caruthers’ 21.
On the next play, Bilskey went to the wide side of the field to the left on an end around. He was untouched for a 21-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the quarter for a 21-7 lead.
The Hawks thought they had another interception two plays later, but a roughing the passer penalty negated the pick. The Hawks got the ball back four plays later after a punt.
A holding penalty wiped out a 33-yard gain by McCamey. Two Bilskey runs gained 24 yards for a first down. McCamey gained 28 to the Caruthers’ 18.
Bilskey took the ball to the two, and carried it into the end zone on the next play after side-stepping a defender in the backfield for a 28-7 lead with 5:59 left in the first half.
Caruthers got two first downs on its next drive. Shandor sacked the Caruthers quarterback to force a fourth down from the Liberty 37. Caruthers bounced a snap to the quarterback, and Brody Sisco recovered at the Caruthers 45.
On the next play, Von Flue aired it out and hit Brody Wilhelm down the right sideline. He cut to the middle, avoided a tackler at the 10, and scored with 16 seconds left in the half for a 34-7 lead.
On the first play of the second half, Loubandith got the ball up the middle. He broke a couple of arm tackles, and outran the defense for a 52-yard touchdown run, his second second half touchdown in two weeks. Imperatrice hit the point after for a 41-7 lead just 14 seconds into the second half.
Caruthers drove down the field, but turned the ball over on downs. The Hawks were forced to punt after an initial first down run by Ayden Wilhelm.
The Blue Raiders drove the ball down the field, and scored on a 46-yard touchdown run with 7:44 left in the fourth quarter.
On the ensuing kick-off, Caruthers tried a pooch kick, but sent it to the wrong person. Bilskey settled under the kick on the left sideline. He cut the ball to the middle and ran down the right sideline for a 62-yard kick return touchdown for a 47-13 lead, just 12 seconds after Caruthers scored.
The Blue Raiders went on a five-play, 72-yard drive that culminated in a 31-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 48-21.
On the ensuing kick-off, Davis watched the ball bounce and roll to the end zone. However, the ball settled at the one. He picked it up, and ran right up the middle past the oncoming coverage team. He then broke down the right sideline for a 99-yard touchdown run, the longest kick return in Liberty history. Imperatrice hit the extra point for the 55-21 final score.