By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
With the CIF quarterfinals officially in the books, the Salina Liberty will return to Tony’s Pizza Events Center on Saturday for a semifinal tilt with the Gillette Mustangs.
The 2-seeded Liberty are fresh off a bye-week that they earned with a 43-41 win in Gillette just two weeks ago, while the Mustangs come into this one having knocked off the Southwest Kansas Storm 40-35 last week.
Salina’s youth was tested in the first battle between these two, but several players rose to the occasion and will be prepared if called upon to answer the bell again in this one.
“We saw a lot of young players really grow up in that first game with Gillette,” Liberty head coach Heron O’Neal said. “Antoine Brown made the game-clinching interception in his first start, Donavyn Jackson led us in tackles as a rookie and Parker faced some adversity for the first time but he adjusted and helped us solidify the win.”
Unlike in their first meeting, the Liberty will have this game in front of a ruckus home fanbase that has turned out in numbers to spur Salina all season.
“Having our city support us the way they have this year has been huge,” O’Neal said. “We’ve seen some of the biggest crowds that this team has ever played in front of and these fans expect to see us compete for championships now. It’s been fun to see the hard work of so many people pay off and we don’t do what we do without them.”
To make a return to their third-consecutive Champions Bowl, the Liberty will have to overcome a Gillette squad that has silenced their opponents this season, ranking second in the league in both scoring defense (32 PPGA), and total defense (155 Y/GA)
“Defensively this is a team that doesn’t let you into that end zone,” he said. “Coach Walker was a legend as a defensive specialist with the Arizona Rattlers and he’s built this defense in his image. They fly around and make plays all over the field. It’s a tough unit to go against but we’re looking forward to battling them on Saturday.”
In addition to a stout defense, the Mustangs have retooled their attack around new QB Aaron Aiken, who has racked up 14 touchdowns, including nine on the ground, in just three games under center.
“This is a Mustang team that is very well coached,” O’Neal said. “They had great personnel on that line and a great running game already but then they bring in Aaron Aiken and he’s added a dynamic to this offense. He has the experience of playing in big games and that’s put them in a different place as a team.”
Two weeks ago, the Liberty emphasized and won the turnover battle, and this week's focus will be no different as Salina turns their attention to taking care of the football as well as the battle up-front.
“This game will be won or lost in the trenches,” he said. “We have some things that we need to be ready for and this should be a fun battle between two supremely talented lines. Just like in that first matchup, we can’t turn the ball over and we have to find ways to generate turnovers on them again.”
Kickoff between the Liberty and Mustangs is set for 6:30 CT at Tony’s Pizza Events Center and as always, the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.