After a bye week, the Liberty Hawks football team went back to work like normal, and recorded a 39-29 victory over the Dos Palos Broncos at Stallion Stadium to begin the new Northwest Athletic Conference.
The Hawks came into Friday’s game with a 5-0 record, and extended it on the back of Henry Bilskey.
Bilskey gained 297 yards on the ground and another 71 in the air for 368 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. He carried the ball for a career high 25 times. He has the No. 1 and No. 2 top single game rushing totals in Liberty history after breaking the old school record, again.
Brody Von Flue was efficient at quarterback. He threw six times and four resulted in touchdowns. Austin Graham caught two touchdown passes from 28 and 34 yards.
The Hawks scored touchdowns on six of its first seven drives, and gained 541 yards of total offense.
The defense also pitched in with three interceptions — Brody Wilhelm, Tyler McCamey and Graham. Graham led the Hawks with 10 tackles. Lineman Felipe Chavarria recorded eight tackles.
The Hawks were also seven-of-nine on third downs, and was one-of-one on fourth down. However, they were penalized 11 times for 104 yards while Dos Palos had just two penalties for 15 yards.
It took the Hawks just one play to take they lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
From the Dos Palos 34, Von Flue hit Bilskey on a go route. Bilskey was wide open, and easily outran the Broncos’ defense for a touchdown just 16 seconds into the game.
Tackles from Graham, Tye Davis, Ayden Wilhelm Deegan Shandor forced a fourth down near midfield. Dos Palos tried to go for it, but Brody Sisco stuffed Dos Palos for no gain.
Bilskey opened the drive with a 33-yard run, but a personal foul penalty moved the Hawks back. On fourth-and-13 from the 34, Von Flue rolled to his right and found tight end Graham going across the field, wide-open, for a 34-yard touchdown, and a 12-0 lead with 7:40 left in the first quarter.
The Broncos came back after a 29-yard pass completion to score on a nine-yard run to cut Liberty’s lead in half.
Bilskey got a 14-yard gain for a first down on Liberty’s next drive. Two plays later, on third down, Bilskey went around the left side, and found paydirt for a 60-yard touchdown, and an 18-6 lead.
Dos Palos got a 10-yard gain for a first down. The Broncos tried another fourth down conversion, but Wilhelm stuffed the Broncos’ ball carrier for a loss of two.
Bilskey opened the next drive with a 63-yard run to the Dos Palos 21. Von Flue rolled to his right for a 11-yard gain on third-and-eight.
The Hawks found the end zone, but were called for holding. The Hawks turned the ball over on fourth-and-goal from the 11.
Dos Palos gained eight on the first play of its drive. Offsetting penalties nullified a 65-yard run. From there, the defense forced a punt.
Tyler McCamey gained 17 on first down, and Bilskey gained nine on second down.
On third-and-10, Von Flue threw over the middle, and hit a wide-open Brody Wilhelm for a 35-yard touchdown with two minutes left in the half.
Less than 40 seconds later, Dos Palos answered the score. The Broncos took the kickoff to midfield, and scored two plays later with a 25-yard run that cut Liberty’s lead to 25-14 with 1:31 left in the half.
The Hawks tried to score before the half, but time ran out from the Dos Palos 33.
Dos Palos earned an initial first down to open the second half. Dos Palos tried to hit a receiver over the middle, but McCamey was there for a leaping interception.
Liberty got a first down on a 14-yard pass to Tate Miranda. Bilskey and McCamey gained 12 to the eight.
Bilskey went off the left side, and got a Wilhelm block for the touchdown, and a 32-14 lead with 7:18 left in the third.
Three plays later, Dos Palos tried a pass down the left sideline. Wilhelm broke on the pass for the interception, and returned it 24 yards to the Broncos’ 25.
On third down, Von Flue rolled to his left, and found a wide open Graham on the right for a 28-yard touchdown for a 38-14 lead with five minutes left in the third.
Dos Palos earned two first downs on its next drive. However, Dos Palos tried another pass up the middle, and Graham was there for the interception.
The Hawks went on an eight-play drive, highlighted by a 32-yard run by Bilskey.
However, the Hawks faced a fourth down, and missed a 27-yard field goal.
Dos Palos gained 36 yards on the first play of the next drive. They added 12, and got a roughing the passer penalty to the Liberty 17. Three plays later, Dos Palos scored from the three to cut the lead to 39-21 midway through the fourth.
Dos Palos tried an onsides kick, and the kicker recovered for another Broncos’ possession.
Dos Palos drove 47 yards, but it took 11 plays to get there. They faced a fourth-and-goal from the eight, and completed a pass to the left for a 13-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion run was good for a 39-29 Liberty lead with 1:54 left in the game.
The onsides kick didn’t go as far the second time, and it hit the Dos Palos kicker to give the Hawks the ball. Three Bilskey runs ran out the clock for a Liberty win.