Liberty loses first football game in overtime, 28-21

Menifee 24/7 Staff

Liberty High School’s football team suffered its first loss of the season in overtime Friday at Del Norte High of Rancho Bernardo, 28-21.

The Bison (3-1) fought back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win the game in regulation play. A 37-yard field goal came up short in the final minute, however, leaving the teams tied at 21.

Del Norte (3-1) won the coin toss for the first possession of overtime and scored on a pass play to take the 28-21 lead. Liberty then moved the ball to the 1-yard line on fourth down, but a pass fell incomplete and Del Norte claimed the victory.

Bison head coach Adam Contreras watched all this from home on a live stream broadcast while awaiting the birth of the couple’s second child, due any day.

“My wife was having labor symptoms, and I knew it would be a two- or three-hour drive home in traffic if I needed to leave the game,” Contreras said. “Coach [Kraig] Broach took over the coaching duties, just like old times.

“I was proud of the way our guys battled back when they could easily have packed it in. It’s good to see them face adversity and play like that. It’s something to build on.”

Eddie Smith scored Liberty’s first touchdown on a run to tie the score at 7-7 in the first quarter before Del Norte took control with two TDs in the second quarter. Then in the third period, Bison quarterback Anthony Quinones hit Smith with a 16-yard touchdown pass, making it a one-score game.

Andre Skelton scored Liberty’s final touchdown on a running play in the fourth quarter, setting up the exciting final few moments.