EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
DODGE CITY — The Redskins took advantage of four Dodge City turnovers and survived a late push by the Red Demons to move to 4-0 with a 33-21 win.
The Redskins found themselves trailing early after Dodge City only needed tow plays on its first drive of the game and broke a 53-yard run for a touchdown to go ahead 7-0.
Liberal followed with a scoring drive that ended with a 38-yard field goal by Natividad Ovalle to cut the lead to 7-3.
Liberal’s defense forced a punt, and the Redskins put together a 10-play, 52-yard drive that ended with a Xavier Tafoya one-yard plunge into the end zone that gave the Redskins a 10-7 lead.
But the Red Demons had a strong return on the ensuing kickoff and moved the ball near the Redskin goal line before the drive stalled, and the Red Demons kicked a 31-yard field goal to create a 10-10 tie.
Liberal had to punt on its next possession, but the Dodge City returner too a hard hit at midfield, and the ball was jarred loose. The Redskins recovered at the Red Demon 31 yard line, and on fourth down Tevin Cotter found James Fieser for a 30-yard touchdown pass, and the Redskins had a 17-10 lead.
Liberal started the second half by trading punts, and the defense forced a second fumble by the Red Demons and took over at the 41 yard line.
Liberal put together a 12-play drive that ended with a fourth-down plunge into the end zone by Cotter form a half-yard out to give the Redskins a 24-10 lead.
Late in the third quarter Dodge City had a third fumble, and the Redskins recovered at the Redskin 33 yard line.
The Redskins drive stalled at the 44 yard line, and Cotter found Fieser for a 44-yard touchdown pass that gave the Redskins a 31-10 led.
With nine minutes remaining, Dodge put together its best drive of the night to score a touchdown after a six-play, 55-yard drive, but the extra point was not good, and Liberal led 31-16.
The Red Demons recovered the onside and moved the ball 44 yards with a 32-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 31-22. But the two-point conversion failed, and with 3:47 to play, the Redskins took over but the drive stalled at the Dodge City 25 yard line with 1:40 to go.
Dodge City marched downfield, but the Redskins intercepted a pass with 12 seconds to play, and the Redskins kneeled to preserve the 31-22 win.
