Kacey Blunk for Howell County NewsKacey Blunk for Howell County NewsKacey Blunk for Howell County News

Seneca ends Liberty's season

It was late in the game on Saturday before the Liberty Eagles football team got going. The result was a state quarterfinal loss at Seneca. They were outscored 14-0 at half, and down by 21-0 mid-way through the third quarter before they found some offense. In the end, it was too much to overcome, and Liberty fell 28-14 to the Indians. 
The game started with Liberty receiving the opening kickoff. Seneca held strong and forced a Liberty punt after just three plays. 
Seneca struck first on fourth-and-five, when Gavyn Hoover found open receiver Hagen Ginger for a 39-yard touchdown. Enoch Miller kicked the extra point for the 7-0 lead. 
Liberty put together a drive down to the Seneca 35 but stalled and turned the ball over on downs. 
The Indians tried another deep pass, but Liberty's Adrien Pendegraft intercepted the pass and fell into the endzone. It was Liberty's ball, but they were backed up at their own one-yard line after the officials ruled, he controlled the ball before he landed in the end zone. After an Eagle three-and-out, the Indians blocked the punt and fell on the ball at the three-yard line. Seneca running back Jackson Marrs would punch it in from there for the 14-0 lead. 
After one first down, the Eagles fumbled the ball and Seneca recovered at their own 38. But, Liberty's defense tightened up and on fourth-and-thirteen, Eli Moore intercepted an Indian pass and returned it to the Eagle 37. 
Liberty drove all the way down to the Indian 13 but came up short on fourth-and-three. They were down 14 at the break. 
To start the third quarter, Seneca took the ball all the way down the field for another Marrs 11-yard touchdown run. The drive lasted 6:30. The Indians held a comfortable 21-0 lead. 
The Eagles’ offense finally found a spark. With 2:25 to go in the third, Liberty's Carter Pruett found Drew Ripko on a 20-yard pass for the Eagle's first score. The kick made it 21-7. 
Seneca would not be stopped, however. They would add one more Marrs 11-yard score. 
Gavin Reese found Lucas Frazier for a 9-yard touchdown, but with only 3:38 left in the game, it was too late. Seneca recovered the inside kick and milked the rest of the Eagle's season away. 
Liberty finished an impressive 11-1 but are still searching for that elusive final four appearance. 
 
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