FIREBAUGH — After suffering its first defeat of the season a week ago, the Liberty Hawks football team got back to its winning ways with a
44-18 victory over the Firebaugh Eagles at Josh Allen Field.
After turning the ball over on downs to open the game, the Hawks scored a safety, and then scored touchdowns on their next six drives to secure the victory.
Liberty scored 21 points in the second and third quarters to put the game away.
Quarterback Brody Von Flue became just the fifth Liberty quarterback to throw for 200 or more yards in a game. However, Von Flue hit his 200 yards on just six passes, and three of those passes went for touchdowns.
Henry Bilskey and Tyler McCamey each gained more than 120 yards to lead a 336-yard rushing attack. McCamey scored two rushing touchdowns and caught one. Bilskey also caught one and ran one in.
The Hawks gained 536 yards of total offense, and averaged 9.9 yards per play. Meanwhile, Firebaugh gained 306 yards, and averaged 6.9 yards per play. Liberty was also hit with 13 penalties for 135 yards.
The Liberty defense forced two fumbles and had a Brody Wilhelm interception to go with four quarterback sacks.
Firebaugh opened the game, and surprised the Hawks. The Eagles popped a kick in front of the Liberty return team, and came up with the recovery.
The Eagles got an initial first down to the Liberty 20. Firebaugh threw incomplete on fourth down, but a penalty gave the Eagles a first down at the 11. On the next play, Firebaugh fumbled on a tackle by Brody Sisco and Bilskey recovered.
After fumbling the first snap of the game, Von Flue found Austin Graham for a 22-yard gain to start the drive. Tristan Ruiz and McCamey gained 13 yards, and Von Flue hit Tye Davis for 12 yards, and a first down.
Bilskey and Ruiz carried six times to the Firebaugh one. However, on fourth-and-goal, Bilskey was stuffed for no gain.
Wilhelm and Blayz Ketchum stuffed Firebaugh for no gain on first down. Firebaugh went back to pass on second down, and the quarterback ran into Ketchum, and turned around to get flattened by Sisco for a safety with 1:50 left in the first quarter.
McCamey and Bilskey gave the Hawks a first down. Liberty was hit with a personal foul penalty, and Von Flue was sacked for a seven-yard loss to bring up second-and-30. Two plays later, Von Flue found an open McCamey on a seam route up the middlefor a 54-yard touchdown with 11:11 left in the first half.
Firebaugh got a third down conversion on another Liberty penalty, but Deegan Shandor sacked the Firebaugh quarterback on fourth down.
McCamey got an initial Liberty first down. On second-and-eight, Bilskey gained 28 to the 18-yard line. Two plays later, Bilskey found the end zone from 14 yards out for a 16-0 lead.
Firebaugh got two first down runs on its next drive, and closed out the drive with a pass over the middle from 33 yards out for a 16-6 lead with three minutes left in the half.
Bilskey opened the next Liberty drive with a 12-yard gain. Three plays later, Von Flue hit Bilskey up the seam for a 46-yard touchdown, and a 23-6 lead with 1:54 left in the first half.
Firebaugh got an initial first down to start the next drive, but the first half ended.
Firebaugh opened the second half with a 54-yard pass completion to cut Liberty’s lead to 11 a little more than a minute into the third quarter.
The Hawks came right back. Three plays into the next drive, McCamey got the ball on the right side, made his way through the second level, and outran the Eagles’ defense for a 69-yard touchdown run, and a 30-12 lead a little more than a minute after Firebaugh’s score.
The Eagles converted a third-and-12 with a 15-yard pass, and then got a 10-yard run. A Liberty penalty gave the Eagles the ball at the 15. Two plays later, though, Firebaugh fumbled, and Benni Lounbandith came up with the recovery.
The Hawks turned the fumble into points. McCamey, Ruiz and Bilskey ran first downs on three straight plays for 44 yards to the Firebaugh 19.
McCamey got the hand-off around the right side and went into the end zone for a touchdown with 1:47 left in the third.
Two plays into the next Firebaugh drive, Wilhelm stepped in front of an Eagles’ pass for an interception.
On the next play, Von Flue found a wide-open Graham. Graham caught the pass at the Eagles’40, and ran down the right sideline. He eluded an Eagles’ defender at the 10, and ran into the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown reception with 24 seconds left in the third. Carter Imperatrice hit his sixth point after for a 44-12 lead.
From there, the Hawks sent in their reserves. The Eagles scored a touchdown with 4:46 left in the game, but the Hawks ran out the clock to end the game. The final 17 Liberty plays were runs, and gained 63 yards.
Liberty finally gets to play at home Friday night in a Senior Night match-up with Mendota. The Liberty stadium was undergoing turf and all-weather track installation, and the Hawks were unable to play at home this season. Friday will be their first game in their stadium this year.