By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Salina Liberty obliterated the Billings Outlaws 60-41 in front of a home crowd on Saturday, establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with and keeping themselves in the hunt for an AF1 playoff spot.
Salina may have started the season 0-4, but since the signing of veteran quarterback Rakeem Cato, are now 3-1 in their last four games, with the lone loss in that span coming to the undefeated defending champs in Albany.
The Liberty wasted no time starting the fireworks when Dez Epps took the opening kickoff off the net, and returned it coast to coast for the first touchdown of the day.
Billings quickly responded, but on the Liberty’s first offensive play of the day, Cato launched a 38-yard bomb to Malik Honeycutt for the wideout’s 11th touchdown catch of the season.
The Outlaws answered back with a return touchdown of their own to pull within eight, but that was the closest they would ever get as Salina slammed the gas and never looked back.
Defensively, Salina looked excellent, forcing a fumble and four interceptions against Malik Henry, who had never turned the ball over to that point in the season.
Offensively, Cato and Honeycutt stayed on the same page, linking up for three of Salina’s seven offensive touchdowns.
Cato finished his day 15-26 with 292 yards, five touchdowns, and only one interception, with Honeycutt hauling in 14 of those passes for 159 yards and three scores.
It was also a great day for Tracy Brooks, who added a rushing touchdown in the first half and a bomb of a receiving touchdown in the second half to help ensure the Liberty victory.
With this win, Salina (3-5) leapfrogs Billings (3-6) in the standings, now sitting in sixth place with three weeks to go.
The top four teams in the AF1 will advance to the playoffs, with both the Liberty and Outlaws still very much in the hunt.
Salina is back home next week to face the Washington Wolfpack at 6:30 on Sunday, June 1.