EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
Trevor Powers had an impressive debut as the head coach of the Redskins Friday night with a 64-6 win over the struggling Wichita North Red Hawks.
“They were ready to play tonight,” Powers said after the game. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing. Our goal is to do our job. They did a good job of that defensively in the first half. Offense took what they gave us. A lot of guys got in the end zone. They celebrated each other. I was pleased with that.”
The starters only saw about a quarter and a half of action, and in the time they built a 50-0 lead.
It started on the third play of the game when Tevin Cotter completed a 49-yard bomb to James Fieser for a touchdown followed by a nine-yard scoring pass to Ismael Calderon.
Cotter found Fieser for a 19-yard touchdown, and Xavier Tafoya broke a 34-yard run for a touchdown for a 30-0 lead.
Eathan Hernandez returned a punt for a 38-yard touchdown, and Max Holman caught a 16-yard Cotter pass for a score.
Landen McNabb followed with a 24-yard touchdown run, and Liberal had a 50-0 lead.
In between the scoring, the Angry Red defense only allowed 14 yards on seven North drives and did not allow a first down.
North didn’t reach the end zone until Powers pulled his starters, and North put together a 10-play drive including a fourth down conversion for their only touchdown of the game to cut the lead to 57-6.
Liberal’s reserve offense scored two touchdowns, one in the first half and one in the second during a running clock, and the Redskins won their third straight season opener.
“What the previous staff has done here has been exceptional,” Powers said. “The kids know how to work, to lift, to practice. It’s just a different way of approaching it. I want more guys to be involved in the offense. I want more to score. I thought our kids did a good job of that.”
Seven different Redskins scored in the win.
And the overpowering defense kept North without a first down until they were relieved by other players.
But defense will be critical for the Redskins when the Western Athletic Conference portion of the schedule begins.
“It’s a tough conference,” Powers said. “It’s one of the things that drew me to Liberal. It’s been a long time since Liberal won the WAC. That’s definitely our goal. I never dreamed I would be coaching 5A football. Ten years ago I was in banking. That’s where our goals are. It’s a very competitive conference. I want us to win WAC championships, state championships. We are going to be a tough out. We are not going to get walked over by anybody.”
Cotter threw five passes and completed four for 84 yards and three touchdowns.
Fieser caught two passes, both touchdowns.
Liberal only ran 24 plays on offense and never faced a third down until the starters were replaced.
Liberal will travel to Wichita Friday to face Wichita South to start a five-week road slate.
