A Game For The Ages
Seniors take charge against Westminster and pull out the wild win in overtime, 34-28
A loud student crowd cheers the varsity football team on in their exciting overtime victory over Westminster.
September 8, 2019
“If you’re not screaming right now, you do not love the Liberty Eagles,” Coach Kling said moments after the varsity football team prevailed in dramatic fashion.
The game on senior night was one they will always remember in a thrilling 34-28 victory over the Westminster Wildcats in overtime. With the win, Liberty starts the season with a 2-0 record for the second consecutive year.
Students could not have guessed that the game, starting out with Liberty leading 6-2 at the end of the first quarter and 14-2 at halftime with touchdowns receptions by senior Isaiah Neely and junior Tyler Cotton, would take the Eagles into overtime tied 28-28 at the end of the fourth quarter.
“The energy was high and you could tell it was going to be an even better second half,” sophomore Sarah LePage said at halftime.
For senior players, this game meant everything to them. When Cooper Terrell scored a touchdown in the third quarter of his senior night game to extend the Eagles’ lead to 20-9, nothing could have compared to what he felt in that moment.
“It felt better than any other touchdown,” Terrell said, who had 65 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Tyler Cotton runs the ball for a gain before he was finally tackled. Cotton led the team with 80 receiving yards on six receptions and also rushed once for a huge 73 yard gain.
At the end of the third quarter is when the game got intense. Going into the fourth, the score was 20-15, Liberty.
Westminster made the first touchdown of the fourth, making the score 21-20. When Westminster took the lead, Eagles Kingdom came together to cheer on the team and motivate them to keep their heads in the game and focus on getting the lead back.
Determined to win this game, Cotton ran the ball over half the field to the two yard line, weaving through Wildcats and pushing the limit while time was running out on the clock. A 2-yard touchdown by Ben Adelsberger and and two-point conversion with 42 seconds left in the game gave Liberty a 28-21 advantage.
Seniors Terrell and Gabe Gonzalez hugged after Westminster fumbled with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Shortly after, Westminster scored a touchdown, making the score 28-27, Liberty. Westminster successfully made the kick sending the game into overtime with no time left on the clock.
After three minutes for both teams to make a game plan, it was a fight to the finish. Westminster started with the ball, but the quarterback fumbled the snap. Liberty used the opportunity and pounced on the ball. Liberty had the ball with no time on the clock and game tied 28-28. Quarterback Blake Seaton ran into the endzone on a 25-yard touchdown sending fans through the roof and a 34-28 victory. Seaton completed 8 of 12 passes for two touchdowns and 107 yards.
“This win is one for the Kingdom,” sophomore Mollie Banstetter said.
