By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
The Salina Liberty enter the final week of the regular season in a tie for second place, and will look to lock up the 2-seed and a first-round bye in Southwest Kansas on Saturday.
Salina holds tiebreakers over the other two 6-3 teams and can secure that bounty with either a win or losses by Omaha and Billings.
The final regular-season test for the Liberty comes in the form of the 5-4 expansion Storm, who got off to a hot start but have sputtered down the stretch.
Salina meanwhile, has been gaining steam with Javin Kilgo assuming the role of QB1 with six touchdowns to no picks in two weeks, and the return of both MVP Tracy Brooks and Special Teams Player of the Year Jimmy Allen.
“Tracy is a calming agent for everybody that’s out there and establishing that run game has helped Kilgo settle in and really step up for us,” Liberty HC Heron O’Neal said. “I’m very excited with what our future looks like with the pieces that we’ve added.”
In their first week on the field together Kilgo and Brooks torched the Topeka Tropics for 62 points, a dangerous showing for a team that already boasts the best scoring defense in the league.
While the opponent changes once again, Salina remains committed to its goal of consistent and steady improvement as the playoffs approach.
“We want to be 2% better than the last time we went out no matter who we play,” O’Neal said. “We want to improve on our kicking game and on our kick returns. We’ve had some great returns but we still need to help Autrey house one here.”
Despite their recent struggles, Southwest Kansas remains a threat not to be taken lightly, and the Liberty will have to weather the Storm in familiar territory.
“They have a good, long athletic defense,” he said. “They fly to the football and they’re up there in the league in interceptions and sacks. They’re a very well-coached team and things always get rowdy in Dodge, we just need to go in, play good, sound, injury-free football and start peaking for the playoffs.”
Salina will likely have to contend with an unknown quantity under center as the Southwest Kansas quarterback carousel continues this week with the signing of Josh Floyd.
While Floyd will have to get to grips with the game quickly, he will have one of the better fronts in the CIF to buy him time to do just that.
“Our defense will be tested and they know that this won’t be easy. Their offensive line is the real deal.”
Kickoff between the Liberty and Storm is set for 6 pm in Dodge City and as always the game can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM) courtesy of Eagle Radio.