See you next week

Brian Davidson/Special to PrepsKC

By Brian Spano PrepsKC Senior Writer
Posted: October 20, 2012 - 8:36 AM



There were two key plays that led to Liberty’s 13-7 win over Blue Springs South Friday night.
 
The Blue Jays, primarily a running team, scored both of their touchdowns through the air. The first key play was a 61-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brock Dorothy to senior running back Matthew Zombo.
 
“Coach told me to sell the block, and no one was guarding me,” Zombo said of the touchdown. “Their safety went over and then I was wide open.
 
“This was a big win for us. We wanted to get this win to help us start a run in the playoffs.”
 
Then the second play that helped Liberty (5-4) solidify the win came during a punt. Punting from their own 27-yard line, the ball came down squarely on the head of a Blue Springs South player. Liberty recovered it at the Jaguars 38-yard line. Nine plays later, the Blue Jays were in the end zone when Dorothy connected with Kolton Shindelar for seven yards.
 
Liberty took a 13-0 lead into the break.
 
“We told our kids that there were a lot of different scenarios that could come out of how other teams play, and we just concentrated on tonight,” Liberty coach Chad Frigon said. “It’s the first we beat one of the big three schools Blue Springs, Blue Springs South or Rockhurst since the schools spilt. That’s really big for us.”
 
For most of the first half, the Jaguars (5-4) couldn’t get their offense rolling. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter that senior running back Khorey Kilgore plunged in from a yard out to cut the lead to 13-7.
 
But it was Liberty’s defense, led by junior linebacker Devin Houston. He was everywhere all night long with quarterback sacks, tackles for loss and pass deflections, including the one to end the game.
 
“We keyed on everyone, we knew the plays they were going to run, their strengths, their weaknesses and attacked it,” said Houston. “We had to try to stop them early and make them change into a different offense. I give it to the coaches calling the right plays at the right time.”
 
Both Kilgore and quarterback Dalton Brewer finished with 74 yards apiece on the ground, but as time was running out, South had to abandon the run and take to the air.
 
“They are a good team and have been beaten by the same teams we’ve been beaten by,” a disappointed Jaguars’ coach Greg Oder said after the game. “It hurts a lot because it’s the last home game our seniors will play, and it’s going to be like this. The good thing is we do get a chance to redeem ourselves next week. The kids fought, but if we had more time, there was a pretty nice drive at the end of the game.”
 
Now, as the new Missouri district format takes effect, it appears these two teams will meet again next week on Liberty’s home turf in the first round of the playoffs.