Liberty Eagles claim District Championship

After a win over the Licking Wildcats, the Liberty Eagles broke a 12-year streak for the Thayer Bobcats, defeating them for the 2026 Class 3 District 9 Championship.

 

The Eagles jumped to an early start with a 12-0 lead over the Bobcats, who narrowed the lead to a mere 4 points in the fourth quarter. The Eagles surged ahead to finish with a final score of 61-47. Junior Alex Tune scored 10 for 10 from the free throw line, scoring 13 points total and pushing him to his 1,000th career point. Senior Drayton Wells exhibited dominance throughout the night, scoring 16 points.

 

"The boys played really well from the tip off," commented Head Coach Justin Harrill on the win. "They executed and didn't get rattled when Thayer made their runs. Thayer is a really well-coached team and we knew that they wouldn't quit. We executed really well in the fourth quarter and the boys deserve all the credit."

 

After the district win, the Eagles are 26-2 on the season, the most wins the program has seen in the last 17 years. The district title is the first since 2012.

 

The Eagles go on to face a 20-7 Seymour Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 in Houston, Mo.