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2010 HS football previews: Liberty (from Bakersfield Californian)

LIBERTY PATRIOTS

Coach: Tony Mills (third year)

2009 record: 8-4 (6-0 Southeast Yosemite League, 4-2 home)
Average points: 25.8
Average points allowed: 12.8
*Average rush yards: 246.8
*Average rush yards allowed: 99.9
*Average pass yards: 80.7
*Average pass yards allowed: 105.3
Best win: Liberty 27, Bakersfield 20
Worst loss: Clovis West 31, Liberty 21
*—yardage figures are from MaxPreps and are only used if at least half of games are available.

Key players: Cody Temple, sr, OL/DL; Doug Blacksill, sr, OL; Carson Moyer, sr, RB/DB; Mason Otten, sr, WR/DB; Frankie Hurtado, sr, OL/DL

Key losses: Rane Cravens, TE/DL; Dillon Meadows, QB/DB; Zach Vasquez, RB/DB; Brady Burk, DL/LB; Tyler Gellinck, RB/DB; Mason Urmston, TE/LB

Offense: The first — and biggest, pun intended — problem for opposing defenses against Liberty is going to be getting to the guy with the ball. The offensive line includes Cody Temple (6-foot-3, 285 lbs), more known for his disruptive work on defense but a Division I recruit on both sides of the ball; Doug Blacksill (6-6, 265), also a Division I recruit; SEYL heavyweight wrestling champ Frankie Hurtado (6-3, 250); Brian Wilmert (6-2, 275); and the "runt" of the bunch, Chris Bolts (6-2, 235). If that protection ever breaks down, defenses will have a shot at a fairly green set of skill players. Carson Moyer returns after a strong finish to 2009 at running back, but basically the entire pass-catching corps has to be replaced, as does quarterback Dillon Meadows. Under center will be either junior Kody Renz, more of a runner, or junior Seth Munn, more of a thrower.

Defense: It's no secret that Liberty has had the best defense in town for two years running; the numbers and the eyeball test both back it up. But a three-peat is going to take some work. One of the state's sack leaders, defensive end Rane Cravens, is gone, as is the DE on the other side, Jaylyn Howard. The Patriots also must replace a super linebacking corps of Brady Burk, Mason Urmston and Cameron Carroll, all three of whom had 100 tackles last year, and All-Area DB Zach Vasquez. So who's back? Start with Temple, who sucked up double-teams that allowed Cravens, Howard and the linebackers to have big years. Tyler Raper, a hybrid DL/LB, is back, as are Mason Otten and Ross Hough in the back seven. But that's about it. The rest are fill-ins from the JV team, and while some of those can follow in the footsteps of great defenders from years past, you'd be crazy to think there won't be at least a small drop-off.

Outlook: After beating Fresno-Central in a double-overtime game in last year's Division I quarterfinals, the door was wide open for Liberty to make a run for a championship, but Cody Kessler and Centennial stepped through instead. Now it's not hard to imagine the Patriots kicking themselves a bit — they lose almost all of what was one of the best back sevens in recent Kern County history and the multi-talented Meadows, too. But there are pieces back here, especially on the lines, and that's a wonderful place to start because you can dominate an opponent without needing big plays all the time. Skill-position players and the back end of the defense will have to develop, but they should have some margin for error. Liberty faces one of the section's toughest schedules, with non-league games against Delano, West, Clovis East and Clovis-Buchanan before the challenges of the new SWYL. If things break right, though, this could once again be one of the area's toughest teams by the end of the season and into the playoffs.

Quotable: "There's no doubt about it. The strength of our team will be the offensive line and defensive line. Everybody knows we've got big, strong kids that move well. But we're going to have to prove it every, single week." — Mills

Schedule: Sept. 3 at Delano
Sept. 10 West
Sept. 17 Clovis East
Sept. 24 at Clovis-Buchanan
Oct. 1 at Highland
Oct. 8 BYE
Oct. 15 at Frontier*
Oct. 22 at Stockdale*
Oct. 29 Independence*
Nov. 5 Centennial*
Nov. 12 at Bakersfield*
*—Southwest Yosemite League game

Prediction: 7-3, 3-2 SWYL

 

News & Events

Schedule

• September 3 @ Delano
• September 10 vs. West
• September 17 vs. Clovis East
• September 24 @ Buchanan
• October 1 @ Highland

Records

• Current Varsity Coach
• Tony Mills

  Overall Record 15-8
  2008 to present

• Second Varsity Coach
• Chad Provensal

  Overall Record 53-20
  2002-2007

• First Varsity Coach
• Rick Van Horn

  Overall Record 11-12
  2000-2001

• School Record
• Overall Record 79-40