By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Salina Liberty offense looked surgical in their quarterfinal showdown with the Colorado Spartans on Sunday, scoring on seven of eight offensive drives to win a 40-38 shootout.
For the second consecutive season, the Liberty are semifinal-bound, having earned a trip to Pueblo and a date with the 2-seeded Punishers, a team Salina took down 40-34 in their lone regular-season meeting.
While Colorado was efficient on offense, the Salina defense stood tall to force two of the game's only three stops, including a massive Jahlil Brown interception in the third quarter.
Tyrie Adams put on a show early in this game, scoring the first four Liberty touchdowns on passes to Kavon Samuels, Ed Smith Jr, and Gourney Sloan, before diving to the goal line to secure a fourth coming out of the break.
Brownâs interception allowed the Liberty to take the gameâs first two-possession lead on a Tracy Brooks rushing touchdown that shifted both offensesâ focus from the air to the ground.
Tracy Brooks and Tabyus Taylor spend the remainder of the game trading touchdown runs, with Brooks scoring four times in the second half to match Taylor on the day.
Inside the final minute, the Liberty scored to go up 48-41, and initially opted to kick a PAT, which was blocked by a Colorado defender.
A flag wiped the play off the board, and the Liberty elected to go for two, but were thwarted by a fumble that was also ruled out by a second penalty flag.
The third time proved to be the charm as Tracy Brooks took a counter from the one and waltzed untouched into the end zone, giving Salina a two-possession lead in the final minute.
The Spartans worked quickly and did tack on a touchdown, but failed to convert a deuce for the tie, coming up short and seeing their season draw to a close at 5-6.
For the Liberty, their second-round showdown in Pueblo is set for a 5:30 kickoff on Saturday, June 13th.
The championship game will be played between the winner of that showdown, and a battle between the Southwest Kansas Storm and Omaha Beef on Saturday, June 20th.