Hurricanes are Hershey bound

by David S. Mika - EasternPAFootball.com


ALLENTOWN – On a cold and blustery December afternoon, the Liberty Hurricanes battled against everything that was thrown at them to advance to the AAAA State Championship game in Hershey. The Hurricanes beat the well known past champs from North Penn 14-12.

At this level of play, both teams were ready to take chances. Both teams would go for 4th down and short conversions early in the game. They were gutsy calls by each team’s coaching staff. Nerves were a factor too in the opening drives as both teams were caught off-sides by the officials. The first drives by both teams came up short and no points were scored.

On Liberty’s second possession, Ray Olivo would break out for a 40-yard run. Dan Persa had a great quarterback keeper run to the Knights 12-yard line. Liberty would score on a long run only to have it negated by a false start penalty. The false start penalties added up to sloppy play by the Hurricanes. Luckily they were able to come back and convert on a pass from Persa to Richard Jarnagin at the goal line. Jarnagin had the presence of mind to turn around with the ball and fall forward into the end zone. Jon Mill added the extra point and the score with two minutes to go in the first quarter was Liberty 7- North Penn 0. The Hurricane defense came up big on the next North Penn possession and stopped them short.

Liberty started the second quarter with their next possession. Persa overthrew Jarnagin on the first play of the drive and the Hurricanes could not convert and punted the ball away.

North Penn turned it up a notch on their next possession and aided by a pass interference call on Liberty moved the chains. Josh Neubert made a big first down with a one handed catch. The Knights would bobble the hand off on the next play for a loss. But that did not affect the rest of their play as the Knights ran on option play to Brandon Turner to convert a fourth down that was two yards short. The Hurricanes showed that they are effective on both sides of the ball however and stopped North Penn causing the Knights to throw short of the first down.

Liberty took over on the 25-yard line with 4:40 to go in the second quarter. Charles Irvin came in and danced his way for two yards and a first down. The Hurricanes drive would stall with an un-sportsman-like conduct penalty on Andres Morales followed by a delay of game penalty. Liberty was forced to punt and North Penn took over with 1:58 to go in the half.

The Knights would make good on this drive with a touchdown by their fullback, Pete Stoll. Andrew Lee came up big for the Hurricanes and blocked the extra point making the score Liberty 7-North Penn 6. The wind played with many kick returns and affected Liberty on the final drive of the first half with a fumble of the return. They were able to recover the ball, however.

The third quarter would see both teams trading possessions without scoring. Persa was sacked for a huge loss and the Hurricanes could not convert, but North Penn could not convert on their fourth down plays either.

The fourth quarter showed off the talent of Andrew Lee. Persa passed to him for two important first downs. Then Persa showed his talent turning his back to the defensive pressure, throwing off his back foot to Lee in the end zone for the score. Mill added the point after and with 10:08 to go in the game, Liberty was up by eight with the score 14-6.

North Penn’s next possession would result in a score. It was set up by Kyle Feiser taking a quarterback keeper down to the Liberty 15-yard line. Ian Carpenter would score on a run with 7:22 remaining in the game. The Knights had to go for two, but once Feiser saw his options fading, he kept the ball but was stopped short of the score. That stop by the Hurricane defense loomed large as the score was Liberty 14-North Penn 12.

There was still time left on the clock for North Penn to try again as they took over at the 5:01 mark after an uneventful possession by Liberty. On the first play of the drive, Andrew Lee shined again with a huge interception taking Liberty to the North Penn 25 yard line. Lee was poised to score again and did only to have offensive pass interference called against him. That pushed the Hurricanes back to the 35-yard line. They were forced to punt and North Penn took over with 3:52 to go.

Things started to unravel for North Penn on their last possession. They did make first downs and lost the ball, but recovered it. An intentional grounding call on Feiser put the Knights in a hole on 2nd and 29. They were able to make up a few yards to make it 3rd and 26 with 1:09 to go in the game.

On the next play the ball was tipped by Liberty and the pass went incomplete. The entire game was on the line with North Penn trying to convert on 4th and 26. It was not meant to be, however, as Jason Huber stepped in front of the Feiser pass and effectively ended North Penn’s chance to score. Persa would kneel down for the last two plays of the game as Liberty beat North Penn 14-12.

Not enough can be said about the players on the Hurricane team. Oscar Rivera was everywhere on the field stopping Knights right and left. Evan Bauer added to the Hurricane defensive presence. Andrew Lee played exceptionally despite a sore ankle and cramps.

There is no way to measure the heart of this Liberty team. They are deep on both sides of the ball and battled today against the Knights, the wind, numerous penalties, and even an ejection of one of their All-State players. Imagine what next week holds when they will not have to battle all these things. The best is yet to come.