LIBERTY – Regulation wasn’t long enough to decide the winner of Park Hill (2-2) versus Liberty (2-2) in yet another high scoring football game that went down to the wire for the Trojans on Sept. 15.
Park Hill senior Tommy Clark had a sack and a fumble recovery in the Trojans 36-29 overtime loss to Liberty on Sept. 15.
Entering the night, three of the last four meetings between the foes were decided by one possession and the last three matchups had at least 45 points scored, with the most recent one being no different. Being tied at 29 at the conclusion of the fourth quarter, Liberty got the ball first in overtime.
Both offenses get a chance with favorable field position in overtime with additional periods being played if there is still a tie. The Blue Jays’ star running back Jaxon Hicks, who scored his team’s last touchdown in regulation, rushed in for the go-ahead touchdown from 8-yards out.
Park Hill trailed 36-29, but penalties backed the offense up making it tough to move the chains. The Trojans eventually faced a 4th and 20, and were unable to convert, thus losing to the Blue Jays for the fourth consecutive season.
It was an action-packed contest from the get-go with Liberty and Park Hill both scoring in the first 12 minutes. The Blue Jays struck first and had a 7-6 lead after the first quarter as the Trojans’ extra point was blocked following a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Bryce Lisaka.
Park Hill took its first lead with right over eight minutes left in the half in the first of seven lead changes for the rest of the night. Gavin Schaag tossed a jump ball to Braylon Agee in the end zone and the sophomore came down with an impressive catch, giving the Trojans a 13-7 advantage.
Liberty had favorable field position after a solid kick return, eventually retaking the lead 14-13 with a 1-yard run. Keegan Turner put Park Hill back ahead 16-14 before the break with a 25-yard field goal as Sai’Quan Copeland blocked Liberty’s kick with three seconds left.
The third quarter went scoreless, but the fourth quarter was a different story starting with a Liberty touchdown on the first play. Andrew Olson ran in from eight yards out and Park Hill trailed 21-16.
The Trojans only needed two plays to go back on top, 22-21. Lisaka took in a slant and took it 59 yards to the house.
Liberty had a big touchdown and 2-point conversion to take a 7-point lead with under eight minutes to play in regulation. Park Hill tied the game at 29 with 4:31 left on the clock on a play that took the officials nearly 10 minutes to make the call.
The Trojans did a play where Lisaka – who isn’t the quarterback – rolled out to the left and was swarmed by Blue Jay defenders. The senior went to throw the ball and was hit as it was being released and was caught by sophomore offensive lineman Maddox Follen who was tackled into the end zone on 3rd and goal.
The refs originally threw a flag for illegal touching by Follen, but he was lined up on the far left side of the ball and wasn’t the intended target so they waived the penalty and counted the touchdown. Turner tied the game with a PAT and the remainder of the fourth quarter was scoreless.
Schaag completed 12 passes for 217 yards – good for 18 yards per completion – for two touchdowns and ran for 13 yards. Lisaka had two total touchdowns and a game-high 144 receiving yards on four catches.
Tommy Clark had a sack and recovered a fumble for the Park Hill defense. The Trojans have alternated wins and losses each week so far and will take on one of the best squads in Class 6, Liberty North (3-1), on the road on Sept. 22.