Potts' Two 4th Quarter TD's Key Liberty Win
MANASSAS, VA - Liberty came into tonight's game knowing that they needed a win against Osbourn Park to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Eagles rose to the challenge by knocking off the Yellow Jackets on homecoming night 27-22.
Al Crow Stadium was rocking early in the first half as sophomore sensation Dominique Terrell returned a punt 68 yards for a score with 2:08 to go in the first quarter. Terrell scored his second touchdown of the game four minutes later on a 67-yard run to put the Yellow Jackets (4-3, 2-2) up 13-0. Terrell left the game in the 2nd quarter after being on the wrong end of a Wayne Fleming tackle. Early reports state that he suffered a concussion and could miss next week's game. Needless to say he did not play another down in the game.
The Eagles punishing defense has now knocked three of the best players in the Cedar Run District out of the game before halftime in Terrell, Battlefield's Adrian Ingram and Osbourn's Jerrell McFadden.
Lillard got the Eagles (5-2, 2-2) on the board with 5:01 to go in the first half with a 12-yard touchdown run. Lillard then converted the two-point conversion by catching a Nick Potts pass to pull the Eagles within 8 points at 16-8.
Liberty's Wayne Fleming continues to find his way into the end zone every week. Fleming crossed the goal line after a 22-yard run to close the gap to 16-14. The junior has now scored at least one touchdown in six of Liberty's seven games this season.
QB Nick Potts stepped his game up a notch in the 4th quarter by accounting for a touchdown through the air and another on the ground. Potts and senior WR Derrick Lee have developed quite the rapport as they have now connected for a touchdown in three straight games. Lee hauled in an 8-yard pass with 8:59 to go in the 4th quarter to give the Eagles their first lead of the game at 20-16.
Liberty's defense played great after Terrell left the game and held the Yellow Jackets to 267 total yards of offense. The Eagles forced two big second half turnovers; Bobby Newton intercepted a Devin Edwards pass and Lillard stripped the ball away from Sophomore Gary Jackson. Lillard's strip set up Liberty's final scoring drive of the game.
Nick Potts may not be the fastest quarterback in the Cedar Run District but he showed the ability to make the opposition respect his speed after burning Osbourn Park on a 20-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a two score advantage with 2:51 to go in the game.
The Eagles racked up 450 total yards of offense in the game with the majority coming on the ground. Liberty ran the ball 35 times for 285 yards that works out to 8.1 yards per carry. The Eagles had double the first downs that Osbourn Park did as they moved the chains 20 times to the Yellow Jackets 9.
The Eagles return home to Kip Hull Field next Friday to take on a 0-7 Culpeper team. Exclusive coverage of Liberty Eagle football will kick off at 7:15 on the GameDay Radio Network.
