By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina Liberty will kick off their 2021 CIF championship run on Saturday evening when they play host to the Dodge City Law in the third meeting between the two this season.
Salina enters the playoffs as the number one overall seed with a record of 10-1 while Dodge City squeaked in at 4-6.
The Liberty won each of the two previous matchups by final scores of 62-34 and 61-54 with the second victory coming on a night when the team was particularly short-handed.
“We played really well against them in that first matchup and we have all of those guys back for this one,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “We do need to do a better job of finishing, we had a big lead in that second game and we allowed them to come back in the fourth quarter.”
After a season filled to the brim with success on the field, the Liberty have a very positive outlook heading into a shortened postseason, armed with the knowledge that two more wins will see them crowned national champions.
“Our locker room is very positive and upbeat ahead of this game,” O’Neal said. “I feel supremely confident in what our guys can do, we just have to go out and execute on gameday.”
Dodge City will come into Salina looking to make this game a shootout. The Law have the second-best scoring offense in the league thanks to a two-quarterback tandem of John Ray Ramsey and Jaylen Lowe, as well as a budding star in running back Cameron Booty.
“The two quarterbacks are drastically different in style of play so we’re definitely going to have to be aware of that,” he said. “They also have one of the top running backs in the league and he’s emerged as a superstar in this league so we’ll have to find a way to slow him down.”
The Liberty’s starting quarterback will remain a game-day decision as both Tyrie Adams and Mitch Kidd impressed in the teams final game of the regular season.
“I trust my gut and I’ve definitely been right more times than I’ve been wrong this season when it comes to decisions like that,” O’Neal said.”
The winner of this game will advance to the Champions Bowl to face the Omaha Beef who defeated Sioux City 40-39 on Friday.
Kickoff between the Liberty and Law is scheduled for 6:30 on Saturday at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM)