By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina Liberty overcame seemingly insurmountable odds in a gritty, hard fought 51-40 victory over the Sioux City Bandits.
With this massive road win the Liberty remain perfect in 2021 at 7-0 while the Bandits drop their fourth straight and fall to 3-4.
Before the final whistle blew, Salina was down starting quarterback Tyrie Adams, former defensive player of the year Isaiah Barfield and key offensive lineman Josh Hughes, all of whom did not return in this game.
Despite heavy losses the Liberty had a chance to flex their depth tonight, as Eishaun Funnye, Tracy Brooks and Mitch Kidd filled the gaps seamlessly in the big Salina win.
Much like the first meeting between these two, well rested defenses kept early points to a minimum. Tied at 7-7 in the first quarter, Liberty quarterback Tyrie Adams took off running and picked up a first down but came off the field with an apparent injury and was replaced by Kidd.
Kidd wasted no time settling in, firing a strike to Juahem Bird in the end zone just four plays later to put the Liberty on top 14-7.
The Bandits would respond with a touchdown of their own early in the second quarter but Kidd was ready to answer, driving his team down the field with two big passing plays and punching it in himself to put Salina back in the lead 21-14.
Feeling their backs against the wall, Sioux City kicked it into high gear and ended the half with two touchdowns bookending a big pick to take a 28-21 lead into the half.
Out of the break both defenses turned up the heat, keeping the score at 28-21 through most of the third quarter. The Liberty would draw first blood in the second half thanks to a game tying 15-yard pitch and catch from Kidd to Chad Steinwachs, which set up the first competitive fourth quarter of the Liberty season.
The Kidd to Steinwachs connection became the go-to that the Liberty needed, as the two dialed it up for a second time to regain the lead with ten minutes to go.
While Salina began to chip away at the Sioux City defense, the Bandits had no such luck, coming up empty on their first four possessions of the half.
The last of those four possessions ended in a monster sack for Shaq Bradford that put the Liberty in great field position to take their first two-possession lead of the game.
Feeling the momentum swing in their favor the Liberty pounced, as once again Mitch Kidd found a wide open Juahem Bird for his fourth touchdown pass of the evening to put Salina on top 42-28.
Sioux City was finally able to find the end zone on the ensuing drive, but looking to make it a seven-point game their extra point was blocked and Bradford housed the return for two more big Liberty points.
The teams traded late touchdowns but it was too little too late for Sioux City as the Liberty, even short staffed, wrapped up their seventh straight victory 51-40 over the Bandits.
In his first real regular season action, Mitch Kidd put on a show, completing 14/23 for 110 yards and five total touchdowns.
The Liberty will have a much needed bye week ahead of them before returning home for a rematch with Dodge City on May 29th.
For more on the 2021 Salina Liberty season stay tuned to the Salina Post.