Liberty's opportunity to avenge its lone 2023 loss disappeared in a blur of fourth quarter interception returns by Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

Retutning players remembered down by seven after allowing Huskies to score a 13-yard rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion with just seconds left in the fourth. Stuck on the 44-yard line, the Lions find themselves helpless as they gain only five yards before Centennial linebacker Bryce Granger intercepts the pass, concluding the game and sending the Lions home with a 42-35 loss. 

Saturday night's return game at Liberty, the conclusion of the first Honor Bowl weekend in Arizona, hung in the balance after a deep pass from Hayden Fletcher set up the Lions in the red zone trailing 42-32. Back-to back pick sixes by Charles Castille and Cade Paterson put the game away and the Huskies won 63-39.

“We knew it was going to be a war… We’ve been saying that since the beginning of the season,” senior quarterback Hayden Fletcher said. “Up until the third and fourth quarter it was a dog fight… We let one play slip away and they got momentum back.” 

Liberty had all eyes on it tonight as the top ranked team in Arizona and 46th nationally by MaxPreps tried to even the score against the national powerhouse from Southern California, ranked 29th by Maxpreps. It was the second tackle football game and fourth overall game in Arizona set up by the Honor Bowl organization.

Red Mountain played host to a Honor Bowl flag football game and a tackle football game in Mesa Friday night. Chandler Hamilton beat Gilbert Campo Verde in flag football at Liberty before the tackle football game.

Going into this game, tensions were high following the outcome of the last time these two teams faced each other.

“There’s definitley a sour taste in the mouth because of what happened last year losing on the last drive of the game. ” Liberty’s athletic director Eric Gardner said. “This is the best team we’ve ever played in the last three years… The expectation is for us to go out and compete like we are a nationally ranked team.” 

Liberty (3-1) they did just that, staying in striking distance of the Huskies until those interceptions. Still the Lions trailed for the final 32-plus minutes.

Shortly after the kickoff, the Lions’ defense allowed Centennial a long run followed by a 1-yard rushing touchdown from running back Braylin Drake making the score 7-0 within the first two minutes of play. Recognizing the gaps in their defense early on benefited the Lions as the night unfolded. 

Liberty made some game-changing adjustments throughout.

Fletcher put points on the board to tie up the game  halfway through the first quarter completing a 15-yard pass to sophomore receiver Braxton Huynh. Late in the first quarter with just under a minute left, he passed an 87-yard dime to junior receiver Marley Chancey to score the second touchdown for the night and a 14-13 lead. 

The fourth quarter was a rough go for the Lions both offensively and defensively, scoring only one touchdown accompanied by a successful extra point while allowing 21 points to the Huskies; two Pick-6’s and a 42-yard rushing touchdown.  

Although the Lions pulled through to score a 20-yard rushing touchdown with two and a half minutes left in the fourth, it was not enough to catch up with the Huskies 24-point lead. 

Both teams were neck-in-neck nearly the entire first half before Centennial scored on fourth down with ten seconds left in the second quarter. Senior Husan Longstreet threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Tyler George doubling their seven point lead for a 28-14 halftime lead. 

Coming out of halftime, the Lions struck back with a successful field goal attempt and a 60-yard interception return touchdown by junior safety Zeth Thues who had an exceptional game. 

Liberty now trailed 28-24.

“That third quarter we were doing some great things,” Liberty coach Colin Thomas said. “We had a chance to seize momentum and it didn’t happen.” 

A huge kickoff return to the end zone by the Huskies set up Drake's three-yard touchdown run. Junior running back Esteban Demby-Lamas responded with his own six-yard touchdown run and a two-point pass cut Liberty's deficit to 35-32.

Unable to maintain that momentum in he fourth quarter, the final score was 63-39 Centennial. The Lions look to regroup during next week’s bye-week and come back stronger than ever Oct. 4 against Chandler, a top Arizona contender.

“[This] is the fourth game of the year, we’re not worried,” Thues said.