Liberal is getting better. That much is evident even after a 12 point fourth quarter lead evaporated and Great Bend rallied to beat Liberal 22-19 Friday night at Great Bend Memorial Stadium. Liberal gained 413 yards with 273 on the ground and 140 through the air. Michael Cummins rushed for 149 yards including a 79 yard TD run while Lavondrick Martin carried four times for 100 yards including a 91 yard score. Slader McVey was 10-15 passing for 140 yards and a touchdown. LHS held Great Bend to 305 yards including 200 in the air and 105 on the ground. LHS head coach Wade Standley said minutes after the game Friday night his team played their best game yet. “We just finished talking and I don’t have to do anything because they’re up,” Standley said. “They are committed and they are read and we’re ready to move forward. They’re ready to go right now. You go in that locker room right now and you can see it in their faces. Their disappointed as I am too but their ready and we’re going to be ready to play next week.”
Standley says his team needs to put a complete game together. “We have to put together four quarters,” Standley said. “It can’t be three and a half for three and three quarters. We’re going to do that next week.” Standley now looks ahead to district play beginning with a 7:00 PM kickoff against 0-6 Valley Center Friday night at Redskin Field. “That’s what we’ve been waiting on all year is district play,” Standley said. “That’s what we’ve been waiting on all year are the distrct games because they all matter but that’s what counts. We’re going to play our best football in week seven. These young men will be ready, I can promise you that.” Liberal won at Valley Center 10-7 last year. Friday’s game will air on Talkradio 1270 and kscb.net with Redskin Pre-game beginning at 6:00 PM.