What a night. In a game that finished at about 12:30 in the morning, Liberal struck for a decisive 96 yard drive to hold off the Wichita Southeast Buffaloes 7-0 Friday night at the Gary Cornelsen Sports Complex. Bren Kappelmann found Ismael Calderon for a six yard touchdown pass with 8 seconds remaining in the first half. The game was slowed by a lightning delay of over four hours. Lightning struck near Redskin Field with 1:36 to play in the 1st quarter and at about 7:25 pm. Play resumed after 11:30 at night. Liberal scored a touchdown with 8 seconds remaining in the first half and at 12:09 at night. The teams then paused for a 10 minute halftime. There was another lightning strike during that time. The officials left the field at that point and when the Redskins came back out of the halftime locker room, they had a week one win.
Liberal won despite two turnovers. LHS dropped a punt and Liberal lost a fumble. The Angry Red defense was solid in both quarters. Twice the Buffaloes had the ball on the Liberal 30 but LHS stonewalled Southeast.
Liberal’s offense sputtered in the opener. Except for one drive. LHS had the ball on their own four. The running game picked up with strong runs by Landry Fitzgerald, Wyatt Mannel, Ismael Calderon, and Bren Kappelmann on the drive. Bren Kappelmann rolled right and feathered a six hard touchdown pass over the shoulder to Ismael Calderon in the northeast endzone for a touchdown with 8 seconds left in the half. Ariel Gaytan booted the extra point.
Landry Fitzgerald was Community Bank Player of the Game.
Liberal wins their fourth straight opener. LHS plays at 0-1 Wichita Heights Friday night at 7pm with Redskin Pre-game at 6 on 1270 and 92.3 FM. The Rowdy Crowd Show airs Thursday night at 5:30 on 1270 and 92.3 FM.
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