By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Salina Liberty got off to a strong start in Saturday’s showdown against the Southwest Kansas Storm, but were silenced in the second half, falling 27-26 at the hands of the league’s top team.
Southwest Kansas led for just 23 seconds of this game, but it was all they needed to remain undefeated, as a 19-yard touchdown scamper from Jaden Sutton sealed the deal in the closing minute.
Each side opened the game with a lost fumble on the goal line, but following that exchange, the Liberty heated up the offense, scoring a touchdown on each of their next four drives to take a 26-15 lead into the locker room.
All four Liberty touchdowns came on the ground, with Tracy Brooks and Kavon Samuels splitting the first-half scores.
The Storm opened the second half with their third touchdown drive of the day, as Sutton hammered in his first touchdown from the goal line.
Still up 26-21, Salina trotted out Luiz Ferreria for a 21-yard field goal, but the kick sailed wide left, setting off a chain of five-straight defensive stops between the two sides.
With time winding down, Southwest Kansas handed the ball to Sutton, who found a seam down the left side of the field and housed the game-winning score from 19 yards away.
The Liberty did get the ball back with 23 seconds remaining, and worked their way into field goal range, but another Ferreria miss would be the final nail in the Liberty coffin.
Sutton finished his day with 9 carries for 73 yards and a pair of scores, complementing a solid day for Trae Self, who completed 14-22 for 138 yards, 2 touchdowns, and just one pick.
The Liberty matched pace statistically, finishing just seven yards of total offense shy of the mark set by the Storm, but a scoreless second half proved too much to overcome against Southwest Kansas.
In addition to the slow offensive finish, Salina’s kicking woes continue, as the Liberty are now 14-23 on PATs, and 1-7 on field goals, including a total of seven misses in the team's two losses, each by a single point.
With this result, Southwest Kansas remains undefeated at 6-0 while the Liberty slide to 3-2.
Salina is back in action on May 2nd with a road trip to Louisiana to battle the Rouxgaroux.