By TYLER HENRY
Little Apple Post contributor
After a slow start to the first half, the Salina Liberty kicked things into high gear to begin their 2022 season with a convincing 54-33 road victory over the Topeka Tropics.
The Tropics battled early and capitalized on miscues from a Salina team trying to settle into their stride, scooping up a fumble and taking it to the house to take a 20-16 lead into the second quarter.
From there, the Liberty would turn up the intensity on both sides of the ball, outscoring Topeka 38-13 in the final three quarters en route to a comfortable victory.
It began with a big second quarter, anchored by new addition Tre Griffin, who bookended the only Tropics score of the quarter with two touchdowns of his own.
Tyrie Adams found Anthony Love for his first touchdown pass of the game to put the Liberty on top 36-27 before Kendrick Harper snagged a pick to lock-in that score at the half.
On the other side of the intermission, the Liberty defense tightened the screws, holding Topeka to just a single score in the entire second half.
“I was very excited to see our defense respond to not playing well in that first half,” Liberty HC Heron O’Neal said. “We got the stops that we needed to keep our lead while we struggled offensively. We’ll have some things to clean up but with this being our first game that’s expected.”
While the offense slowed a bit in the second half, Salina’s usual suspects shined as reigning MVP Tracy Brooks punched in the first score of the half before Tyrie Adams hooked up with Ed Smith twice to put the final nails in the Tropics coffin.
“I think we came in expecting that these guys were going to lay down and they didn’t,” O’Neal said. “This is a good football team and they’re going to beat a lot of people, they’ve got a good thing going.”
With this win, the Liberty will once again begin their season 1-0 while the newly formed Tropics continue their search for a victory at 0-2.
While a championship rematch looms for Salina next week, the Liberty will take some time to celebrate this win before making their adjustments over the course of the week.
“Right now we’re going to enjoy this road victory, they’re hard to come by,” O’Neal said. “This is a hard environment that they’ve created here and I’m going to enjoy this one, I’m not thinking about any other team at this moment.”
The Liberty and Beef will meet in Salina at 6:35 pm on Saturday, March 26th.
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For continuing coverage of Liberty football all season long, stay tuned to the Little Apple Post.