By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Salina Liberty battled in Billings but came up just short as a fourth-quarter surge allowed the Outlaws to pull away with a 42-34 victory.
The Liberty remains in the top half of the league at 2-1 while Billings breaks even at 1-1.
Salina began the game with a bang, capping off their opening drive with a seven-yard touchdown run from Tre Griffin.
After stopping the Outlaw offense cold in their tracks, Tyrie Adams took the field once more but was hit as he threw and lost the ball in the end zone which was recovered by Billings to tie the game.
From there the teams traded punches until halftime, with Adams housing a touchdown run from six yards out to tie the game at 28 at the intermission.
Both defenses came out of the locker room with a renewed intensity as neither offense found the scoreboard in the third or most of the fourth.
Ultimately it would be the Outlaws who found paydirt first as Tyron Laughinghouse hauled in his second touchdown catch of the day with 3:00 to play.
The Liberty offense came out looking to tie the game but Tyrie Adams was once again hit as he threw and this time it was Jamario Benson who picked off the pass and took it to the house to put the game out of reach.
Adams would score one final time to close the gap but Salina would fall in their first loss of the 2022 season 42-34.
The Liberty will be back in action on Saturday as they return home to take on the Sioux City Bandits at 7:05 PM.
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