PEORIA — Centennial’s Richard Taylor has seen a lot in his 30 years as the only varsity head coach in school history.
On Friday night, Taylor witnessed one of the Coyotes’ most memorable comebacks.
Plagued by injuries, miscues and turnovers early, Centennial saved its best for last — using a punishing ground game to erase a 10-point second half deficit and claim a 34-24 rivalry victory over the Liberty Lions in the “Battle of Peoria” at Lions Field.
“We just fought through everything tonight,” Taylor said after the game. “Our defense was determined to do a better job in the second half and they accomplished that. We lost our center, we lost our left guard but we just continued to push forward offensively.”
Centennial called on sophomore Kavaughn Clark to ignite the comeback and Clark answered the call, rushing for 208 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns as the Coyotes (6-2, 4-0) scored the game’s final 20 points to claim the region title in the regular-season finale.
“In the fourth quarter, our O-line was getting a great push,” Clark explained. “It left me with a one-on-one situation with either a linebacker or a safety. The line really did an excellent job.”
Liberty fell to 5-3, 3-1 but both teams were surprised to learn Saturday morning they had each qualified for the eight-team Open Division postseason bracket.
Not only that, the AIA executive committee seeded Centennial fourth and Liberty fifth among the eight Open teams, meaning Liberty will travel across town to face Centennial again in the Open Division quarterfinals. That contest is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27 at Coyotes Field.
With Friday’s game seemingly in the Lions’ control, things began to unravel late as they suffered three fourth-quarter turnovers that Centennial used to put the game away.
“It’s tough to win games when you turn the ball over that much,” Liberty Head Coach Colin Thomas said. “We’ve got to play better in the fourth quarter to win a game against an opponent like Centennial.”
Early in the game, a fired-up Liberty squad forced a three-and-out and the Lions’ offense immediately got going.
Running backs Zaccheus Cooper and Marquise Corley found success and quarterback Brock Mast found Sam Wolfer and Jordon Guevara with key completions. The drive culminated with Mast lofting a soft pass to tight end Darin Barrows from two yards out:
Shane Pitts hit the PAT to put Liberty up 7-0 at the 6:41 mark of the first quarter.
Liberty’s defense stepped up to force a fourth-down stop before the teams both bogged down offensively. In punt formation, Pitts tried to run for the first down on 4th-and-3 at his own 25.
Centennial’s special teams would have none of it, stopping Pitts for a loss of three and a turnover on downs.
The Coyotes cashed in to tie the game. Utilizing a pair of Liberty penalties, Centennial’s James Scott eventually rumbled over the goal line from four yards away:
Brysen Gardner’s PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 7:24 left before halftime.
The Lions quickly responded to take the lead back. A 10-play drive ended with a play call that fooled the Coyotes’ defense — on 4th-and-1, Wolfer slipped through everyone down the middle of the field. Mast easily lobbed a 15-yard TD pass to the uncovered tight end and Pitts added the kick, giving the Lions a 14-7 lead.
Clark then made his presence felt for the first time in the game.
Two plays later, the explosive 180-pounder darted up the middle for a 61-yard touchdown to get the Coyotes right back within a point. Gardner then did the honors and it was 14-14 with 2:40 before the break.
Centennial’s D forced a punt and the Coyotes looked to possibly take a halftime lead. Instead, Scott had the ball punched loose and Liberty’s Parker Johnson recovered the fumble.
One play later, Cooper dashed in for a 6-yard touchdown around the right side of the line. Pitts hit the PAT and Liberty led 21-14 at the break.
“That one really hurt,” Taylor admitted of the late first-half turnover. “It wasn’t looking so good at halftime for us.”
Things got tougher for Centennial midway through the third quarter. In punt formation, Coyotes punter Dylan Conn appeared to want to try a rugby-style kick but instead he was gang-tackled at the Centennial 25 yard line.
Liberty converted the miscue into points with a Pitts 23-yard field goal:
The Lions were in command, leading 24-14 with 7:45 left in the third quarter.
Pitts then added to the momentum with a highlight-reel interception as Coyotes’ QB Austin Glimpse had his pass deflect off DJ Gleash’s hands. Liberty could do nothing with the gift, though, and punted back to the Coyotes.
Glimpse made up for the earlier miscue by connecting with Rashon Adams on a 34-yard pass to put the ball inside the Liberty 30. Clark ripped off runs of 21 yards and 5 yards before Tage Rigby, back from injury that cost him multiple games, scored on a two-yard dive:
Gardner’s PAT brought Centennial within 24-21 at the 2:55 mark of the third.
The rivals exchanged punts as the fourth quarter began but momentum seemed to be shifting in the visitors’ favor. A Liberty penalty for fair catch interference gave the Coyotes the ball just 29 yards from paydirt.
Clark carried the ball six straight times, cashing in with a 4-yard dive to the left pylon that gave Centennial its first lead of the game. A two-point conversion failed and the Coyotes held a 27-24 advantage with 5:26 left in regulation.
Looking to retake the lead, disaster struck for Liberty two plays later. Mast and his center were off on their timing and a 1st-and-15 snap went awry. Centennial’s TJ McRae pounced on the fumble and it didn’t take Clark long to find the end zone again.
Clark capped his big night with a 16-yard touchdown run, discarding multiple Liberty tacklers along the way. Gardner’s PAT provided the final margin of victory.
“I told our ‘big beauties’ that the work they did in the first half was going to pay off in the second half — and it did,” Taylor said.
Clark agreed with his head coach.
“Especially with a couple new guys in there, they stepped up big time,” the running back said. “That’s the Centennial way — next man up.”
Liberty’s last gasps were snuffed out by a pair of interceptions by Centennial’s Demari Washington. The celebration was cranking up on the Coyotes’ sideline while the Lions tried to figure out how a double-digit lead slipped away.
“There were some plays we should’ve made,” Liberty junior safety Jax Stam admitted after the game. “But this same thing happened last year and we came out with a ring on our finger so let’s hope for the same.”
These two crosstown rivals have a short but bitter playoff history, with Centennial ending the Lions’ seasons in 2014, 2016 and 2017. In 2014 and 2017, the Coyotes went on to claim two of their seven all-time state titles.
Taylor said he and his staff will quickly turn their focus back to Liberty.
“I don’t have any expectations for the postseason except to get ready for our first opponent,” he admitted.
Thomas, whose team had a four-game winning streak snapped, said the Lions will be ready for the rematch.
“Our goal is to get better every week," the Liberty head coach said. "It’s been a while since we’ve had this feeling so we will regroup and bring our best to the field next week.”
Matt Loeschman
Editor | Daily Independent
@MattLoeschman
mloeschman@iniusa.org
I have edited and written about almost everything in my 20-year journalism career, but I have a strong passion for sports since my father was a teacher and coach when I was young.
My job has allowed me to meet many influential people, including Hillary Clinton, Al Gore (I have a brief, on-camera part in his second movie), George Strait, Matthew McConaughey and several world-class athletes.
I have worked for Independent Newsmedia on two separate occasions – 2000-09 and 2018-present – after studying journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
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