Lovejoy Leopards vs. Liberty Eylau Leopards

Varsity 11-20-09

Lovejoy survives in a 42-41 Overtime Thriller

The Lovejoy Leopards (11-1) exemplified their grit and will to win Friday night with an unlikely come from behind victory against a very good Liberty-Eylau (6-4) football team.  Down 21 points midway through the third quarter, Lovejoy’s young varsity program could have rolled over and called their Cinderella season finished.  Instead, they put together a fourth quarter that broke the hearts of their opponents and put the Leopards in the State quarterfinals next Saturday.

The first half ended in a 14-14 tie with Lovejoy owning the time of possession edge.  Michael Means and Blake Martin each scored rushing touchdowns after long sustained offensive drives, but the Leopard defense struggled somewhat to contain the speed of Liberty’s receivers and backs.  Liberty scored on a 48 yard run and a 32 yard touchdown toss and going into halftime, it was anybody’s game.

Liberty put together a long drive to open the third quarter culminating in a Tra Carson 1 yard run and Liberty led 21-14.  Two Leopard fumbles were returned for touchdowns in the next 45 seconds of play, and just like that, Liberty went up 35-14.

Michael Means, responded by piloting a strong drive down the field finding receivers Cade Carter and Zander Hamilton on key third downs.  When Liberty held Leopard receivers in check, Means used his feet to pick up first downs.  With 5:18 left in the third, Means scampered 18 yards to pay dirt, breathing life back into the Leopards.

As the fourth quarter began, the Lovejoy defense answered, finally pushing back a Liberty team that had been virtually unstoppable.  Heavy pressure from linemen Nate O’Connor, Drew Carson, Ticer Havens and a sack by Nate Krumrei forced a 3^rd and long situation. Blake Westback then came from nowhere to tip away a ball from a Liberty receiver, and the momentum of the game began to shift.

The Leopard offense took over.  With a little more than 5 minutes to play in the game, Tanner Michaels plowed into the end zone, and the Leopards were now down 35-28.  Needing a quick stop, the Leopard defense delivered. But roughing the kicker penalty extended Liberty’s drive.  Holding Liberty again to just three more plays, the Leopard offense hit the field with 2:33 to play in their season.

The Leopard offensive line pounded the Liberty defense into submission.  Running between the tackles and picking apart the secondary, Means managed the clock well.  On third and goal, a bad snap went through the hands of Means, and was recovered by Liberty, but a false start penalty gave the Leopards another shot.  On fourth and goal from the 5, Means followed his blocks into the end zone, and with just 22 seconds remaining in the game, the Leopards had pulled even, 35-35.

In overtime, the Leopards scored first on a Means 1 yard run.  Puskarich added the PAT and the Leopards held a lead 42-35.  Liberty took just three plays to score; a 27 yard touchdown pass to Marquez Clark.  A fake PAT had the Leopards scrambling, before Blake Westback put the exclamation point on the comeback, knocking down pass from Liberty’s Trey Norman in the end zone and the Leopards escaped 42-41.

Means rushed for 272 yards and 5 touchdowns on the night.  Martin added 67 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.  Hayden Marsh led the receiving corps with 5 catches for 45 yards.  Defensively, the Leopards held Liberty to 293 total yards, just 10 first downs, and negative yardage in the fourth quarter.  Trey Carson’s interception was the Lovejoy only Leopard takeaway of the night.

The Leopards face another challenge on Saturday when they go head to head with last year’s state champion, Prosper.  The game is scheduled for 7:30 at Clark Stadium in Plano. The Leopards are the home team.

Written by Kim Havens