Liberty North, Rockhurst advance in Missouri football playoffs; Grain Valley bows out
For the fourth year in a row, Liberty North is headed to the state high school football semifinals.
The Eagles made quick work of previously unbeaten Oak Park and rolled to a 38-7 victory on Friday night.
Liberty North (11-1) will face Rockhurst for a chance to go to the championship game for only the second time in school history. In 2021, the Eagles were the runners-up, losing to Christian Brothers College.
“I’m extremely proud of our kids,” Liberty North coach Andy Lierman said. “We came out and performed well against a great Oak Park team that had a great season this year and played well.
“We knew they would provide some unorthodox offense for us a little. We don’t see the option much. We know they played good defense and tried to keep the ball in front of them.”
MicahJo Barnett scored on a pair of touchdown runs, while quarterback Tillman Martin tossed a pair of touchdowns in the first half.
The Eagles led 35-0 at intermission and cruised from there in the first meeting between the two schools since 2016.
Liberty North went up 21-0 in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by Barnett and touchdown passes from Martin to Nebraska pledge Keelan Smith and Jayshawn Ross. Barnett added a 52-yard run early in the second quarter.
“We started off pretty good,” Martin said. “We trusted the coaches and trusted the play-calls and executed the plays.”
Derrick Davis had a blocked punt, scoop and score to bring it to 35-0.
Travon Pankey’s touchdown, on a 71-yard run late in the game, broke up the shutout. The Northmen finished their season 11-1.
Next week’s game for Liberty North will be at Rockhurst’s Vincent P. Dasta Memorial Stadium.
Webb City 49, Grain Valley 35
Grain Valley went toe-to-toe with Webb City, but in the end the Cardinals had too much firepower. Webb City’s rushing attack overwhelmed Grain Valley 49-35 in a Class 5 quarterfinal game at Cardinal Stadium in Webb City.
The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Eagles, who finished the year 10-2.
The Eagles trailed 21-14 at the break, but a big run by Ty Williams set up Grain Valley in Webb City territory. Quarterback Sal Caldarella threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
Webb City (10-2) answered with an 8-yard touchdown run by Slade Hurd. After forcing a three-and-out, the Cardinals extended the lead to 35-21 on a 78-yard touchdown run by quarterback Gabe Johnson.
The Eagles kept battling and pulled within a score twice. Peyton Woodrome caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Caldarella to make it 35-28 at the end of the third.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Grain Valley attempted an onside kick ... but the Cardinals recovered. Five plays later, Omari Jackson had a 1-yard score to push the Cardinals’ advantage back to 14 points with less than 10 minutes to play.
The Caldarella-to-Woodrome connection turned into a 23-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. Grain Valley had again pulled with a touchdown, down 42-35.
But Webb City chewed clock, then got a 1-yard run by Hurd with 57 seconds left to account for the final score.
Williams had a 46-yard run touchdown run in the first, while Noah Olah caught a touchdown pass from Caldarella.
Rockhurst 38, Nixa 14
Rockhurst let Nixa have a glimmer of hope — then slammed the door to advance to the state semifinals.
Nixa (11-1) struck first on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nate Uber to Keivon Flint less than 2 minutes into the game.
Rockhurst (11-1) scored the next 28 points and pulled away from the Eagles, ending Nixa’s deepest postseason run since 1995. Meanwhile, the Hawklets advanced to the semis for the first time since 2018.
The Hawklets passed the ball efficiently on offense and used stout defense to slow Nixa’s rushing attack and an offense that averaged more than 40 points per game.
After Nixa’s opening drive, the Hawklets gave up just 31 yards and twice intercepted Uber, who had previously thrown only one interception all season.
Ethan Hansen converted a fourth down on an 11-yard run on the next Rockhurst possession, then hit Maeson Tunley for an 8-yard score with 5:05 left. Logan Kuechler’s PAT tied the game.
The Hawklets’ first interception, grabbed by Sean Jacoby, turned into points. A pass interference call in the end zone set up a first-and-goal and Aidan Ryan punched in a 5-yard touchdown run.
From then on, Rockhurst never trailed. Kuechler had an interception and that turned into more points on a Maeson Tunley touchdown reception. Thomas Coppinger’s 1-yard run made it 19-7 with 3:05 left in the second quarter. Ryan caught a pass from Hansen on the 2-point conversion to make it 21-7.
With 50 seconds left in the first half, Hansen hit Ryan for a touchdown to make it 28-7 at the break.
Rockhurst had a chance to extend the advantage in the third quarter but fumbled the ball at the Nixa 8-yard line. Nixa took advantage with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Uber to Wyatt Vincent to pull to 28-14.
Rockhurst wrapped up the victory by scoring twice in the fourth quarter. Kuechler booted a 45-yard field goal; then Coppinger intercepted Uber near midfield and Ryan ran for an 8-yard touchdown.
The Hawklets will play host to Liberty North (11-1) next week for the right to play in the Class 6 championship game.
For playoff brackets, stats, recaps, online broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.
