Photo Credit: Dominic Carrera/PrepsKC 
Liberty avenged an earlier season loss to Park Hill and advanced to the Class 6 semifinals with a 30-13 win on Saturday afternoon at Liberty High School.
In the 21-17 loss to the Trojans on Oct. 4, the Blue Jays let a fourth-quarter lead slip away
That was not the case in the rematch on Nov. 23.
Liberty (9-3) pitched a shutout over the final 12 minutes and forced two turnovers, while scoring 14 points.
“It was a lot closer game than that final score,” Liberty head coach Chad Frigon said. “I’m really proud of our defense, being able to shut them out in the second half. Offensively, we put some long drives together and were able to convert. We just played really hard, and I feel like we’re getting a little better each week.”
The Trojans struck the first blow on a 65-yard bomb from Zane Thomas to Landon Judson, taking a 7-0 lead at 7:29 of the first.
Liberty matched that score on a 26-yard run by Jaxon Hicks, who finished with 271 rushing yards and two TDs, less than five minutes later and it was 7-7, after one.
Park Hill blocked a punt to set up their next score.
Tegan Turner’s 33-yard field goal with under nine minutes to play in the half put the Trojans on top 10-7.
Again, Liberty answered.
Blue Jays’ junior quarterback Connor Hatfield capped the drive with a two-yard run to make it 13-10 after the PAT was blocked.
Liberty added to that lead just before the half as a blocked punt with 16 seconds left in the second gave them the ball in Park Hill territory.
Lincoln Dwiggins drilled the 45-yard field goal at the buzzer, and it was 16-10 at halftime.
Park Hill scored the only points of the third quarter on Turner’s second field goal of the game to cut it three, after three.
But, the fourth quarter belonged to Liberty, scoring on touchdown runs by Hicks (12 yards, 9:19) and Colt Nolin (22 yards, 2:51).
The Blue Jays totaled over 400 yards of offense and held Park Hill to 223 yards.
“We talked all week about when we get a chance to get them off the field, get them off the field and when we have a chance to extend a drive, do it,” Frigon said.
Liberty’s first appearance in the state semifinals since 1997 will come against DeSmet Jesuit (10-2), a 28-14 winner over Columbia Rock Bridge.
