Liberty rushers overrun Green Valley

Liberty's running game was a question mark entering Thursday's game against Green Valley.

It's not a question anymore.

The second-ranked Patriots racked up 381 yards on the ground in the first half and rolled to a 51-17 home victory over the seventh-ranked Gators.

Liberty (4-1) lost leading rusher Chad Tebay to a broken leg in last week's win over Coronado. But the Patriots spread the ball around and used the power of their offensive line to dominate the Gators (2-3).

"Our plan was to come out, run the ball and try to be physical up front," Liberty coach Rich Muraco said. "We really executed it perfectly. The kids had the right kind of intensity. I couldn't have asked for a better start."

Twelve Liberty players got a carry on Thursday, with five scoring touchdowns. Bruising 235-pound senior Calvin Tubbs led the way, rushing for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, all in the first half.

"Calvin has mostly been playing defense the first few games of the year, but we decided with Chad going down that he needs to take a bigger role on offense," Muraco said. "When he does get going, he's very difficult to bring down."

Liberty set the tone on the game's opening drive, going with a power set with two tight ends and two fullbacks and marching 80 yards on 10 plays, all runs.

Marquell James, who rushed for 50 yards on the drive, capped it with a 6-yard TD run with 7:44 to go in the first quarter. It was the first of many run-oriented drives for the Patriots, who scored on all seven of their first-half possessions.

Green Valley could have retaken the momentum on their first possession, but a potential TD pass went off Isiah Macklin's hands on the first play, and the drive ended when Austin Warhop fumbled inside the Liberty 20.

The Gators also had a pass intercepted at the Liberty 2 later in the half, and the Patriots never let up.

Tubbs had scoring runs of 2 and 10 yards in the second quarter for Liberty. Bryan Roland (23 yards), Darion Acohido (56 yards) and Stephon Stowers (74) yards added scoring runs for the Patriots.

"As the game started happening and we started pulling away, it was like, 'Let's give everybody a chance,'" Muraco said.

Liberty also got a 51-yard TD pass from Kenyon Oblad to Gavin Caci with 46.5 seconds to go in the half. It was one of just two passes the Patriots completed.

The entire second half was played with a running clock after Liberty took a 51-7 lead. Liberty gained 467 of its 471 yards in the first half.

"I've felt it all along, this is the best team we've had since I've been here as far as depth," Muraco said. "One through 22 on the starters are deep-quality kids. And I'm really happy with the way things are progressing."

The Gators' primary highlight was a 35-yard TD run by Kawika Jones in the third quarter.