Valley’s top passer sparks Liberty with legs, Patriots secure Southeast Division title

Tyler Newman was leading the valley in passing yards and touchdowns thrown going into Friday’s game, but the senior quarterback sparked Liberty’s offense with his legs in the season finale at Foothill.

Newman broke a 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the Patriots, who ran away from the Falcons en route to a 34-12 victory. The win wrapped up the Southeast Division title.

Newman said the Patriots (7-3, 6-0 Southeast) planned to hit Foothill with a mix of run and pass in the game, but Liberty’s opening drive didn’t work out, as the offense lost eight yards and punted after just three plays.

Foothill (5-4, 3-2) promptly marched down the field and scored as Drew Doxtator hooked up with Aedan Barolowitz on a 12-yard pass to give the Falcons a 6-0 lead.

“We came out a little shaky,” said Newman, who connected on 15-of-28 passes for 249 yards in the game. “That first drive (on offense), we had a little trouble passing. But after that, the running game really stepped it up and that opened up the passing.”

Newman led the way with his 70-yard scamper on a designed run that put Liberty ahead 7-6 with 3:47 left in the first quarter. The Patriots never trailed again.

“It was a quarterback draw,” Newman said. “I saw they had six in the box and they were pressing out receivers. Our line blocked great, and our running back picked up the linebacker, so there was a great hole.”

Two big runs keyed the Patriots’ scoring plays in the first half, and a big return on special teams set up another one in the second.

Alfoa Tevaseu exploded through the middle of the Falcon defense on a 42-yard run, which set up Brenan Adams’ 5-yard TD run on the next play to put Liberty up 17-6 with 4:55 left in the second quarter.

Ethan Tuilagi had a 60-yard run that set up a 24-yard Austin Fitzgerald field goal in the second quarter.

Fitzgerald also added a 30-yard field goal on the last play of the quarter, which gave the Patriots a 20-7 halftime lead.

Foothill then cut the lead to 20-12 on Justice Jackson’s 35-yard TD run, but Liberty’s Deseon McQuaig returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards to the Falcon 40. On the next play, Newman connected with Bryan Roland on a touchdown pass that put Liberty back up by two scores.

Alofa Tevaseu also had an 11-yard touchdown run for Liberty.

While Liberty had a balanced attack – finishing with 226 rushing yards and 246 passing – it was Liberty’s defense that kept the Falcons one-dimensional. They limited Foothill to just 10 net rushing yards.

Doxtator was 37-for-65 passing for 312 yards and a touchdown for Foothill, but the quarterback was under constant distress.

The Patriots sacked him three times and intercepted him twice, which limited the Falcons’ scoring.

Noah Jefferson, Jarvis Polu and Bradley Viloria each had sacks for Liberty’s defense, which turned the Falcons over on downs three times in the game.

As Liberty opens the Sunrise playoffs next week at home against Silverado, Newman said his team is in good shape to make a deep run.

“I do think we are on the right track,” Newman said. “But you can’t overlook any games. We’ll just worry about this first game and the rest will come.”