By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Salina Liberty snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Saturday’s semifinal showdown against the Pueblo Punishers, undoing a 17-point Pueblo comeback on a last-second hail mary prayer.
The game-winner from Tyrie Adams to Ed Smith undid what could have been a collapse of epic proportions, allowing Salina to sneak out of Pueblo with a 43-41 victory, and punch their ticket to the NAL championship game.
Everything was clicking for the Liberty early in this game, as Salina held a 27-14 lead at the intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter, Salina extended that edge to 30-14 early in the fourth quarter, then pushed their advantage to a seemingly insurmountable 37-20 with just 4 minutes to play.
With two minutes remaining, Joshua Hollins scrambled to the near wall, and reached the ball over the plane to cut the Liberty lead to nine.
Pueblo quickly got the ball back, and with one minute to go, dumped a pass off to Jo-El Shaw, who took it down the same sideline for the second Punisher touchdown in as many minutes, trimming the lead to three.
Incredibly, Pueblo wasn’t done, returning their offense to the field for a third time, and taking their first lead of the half when Hollins found Harold Brooks in the corner of the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown with nine seconds remaining.
A 17-point lead, gone in just four minutes.
This is the part where many teams would have folded, but the Liberty, determined not to let this be the end of their season, put their offense on the field one final time and waited with bated breath for a miracle.
With just one crack at the end zone and 35 yards to go, Tyrie Adams dropped back to throw what very well could have been the final pass of Salina’s season.
In an effort to eliminate a pitch play, the Punishers dropped two linemen into coverage, giving Adams all day to throw, and Ed Smith all the time in the world to spring himself free.
Tyrie Adams to Ed Smith, a connection the Liberty faithful watched dominate the league five years ago, drove one last dagger through the hearts of the Punishers, and silenced a stunned Pueblo crowd.
Liberty 43, Punishers 41.
Salina’s quest for a second national title will go through an old foe, as the Liberty prepare for a short trip to Dodge City next week to face the Southwest Kansas Storm for the National Arena League crown.