After the long drive across Missouri, the Liberty North Eagles and their fans were not made to feel welcome in the early moments of Saturday’s Class 6 State Championship semifinal matchup.
The Troy Buchanan Trojans marched downfield steadfastly on the opening drive to take a 7-0 lead in front of the overflow crowd of nearly 4, 000 students, fans, and parents.
There’s no way to know how many of those 4,000 made the trek from Liberty, but we’re highly confident there were plenty of Fords in the parking lot with the Gary Crossley name on the back.
The Trojans were feeling pretty good after the opening drive in their first trip to the semifinals, excited and ready to continue their historic Cinderella run towards a State Championship this year after finishing just 3-7 last season.
But alas the shoe, it did not fit.
The Eagles took charge on their first possession and never let go. A touchdown pass, two field goals from Blake Craig, then Junior Kaden Durso’s blocked punt late in the 2nd quarter led to a 5-yard bulldozing touchdown from Cayden Arzola and a 21 – 7 halftime lead.
Arzola made another trip to the endzone to give Liberty North 28 unanswered points and a deficit the Trojans could not overcome. After a toe-to-toe, 4th quarter, the final tally showed Liberty North on top 35 – 21
“We were just able to play our version of football,” Liberty North quarterback Sam Van Dyne told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Our defense does its job and we just try our best to put as many points on the board as possible.”
Van Dyne, an NCAA D-1 prospect, passed for 264 yards Saturday.
He and the rest of the Eagles will spend this week prepping for the state championship game this Saturday at Faurot Field in Columbia against another St Louis area school, the CBC Cadets.
Gary Crossley Ford is proud of our sponsorship of academic and athletic programs across Kansas City including the Liberty North Eagles football program.
Now, who needs a ride to Columbia Saturday?
