Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Liberty football looking to break Reno curse

Liberty Dominates Basic Sunrise

L.E. Baskow

Liberty’s Darion Acohido (21) gets deep on the Basic defense for a leaping catch during the Sunrise regional high school football championship game on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016.

Liberty wins 7th straight Sunrise title

Liberty's Crishaun Lappin (9) makes a diving attempt at Basic QB Aaron McAllister (3) breaking off on a long run in the Sunrise regional high school football championship game on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Launch slideshow »
Prep Sports Now

Crowns to go around

Las Vegas Sun sports editors Ray Brewer and Case Keefer congratulate Desert Pines for its Class 3A state championship crown, and dive into how the upper level's title will be won with the state semifinals on tap for Saturday.

The Liberty High football has traveled this season into Texas, and won. It’s traveled into Southern California, and even though the Patriots lost, scored 32 points against a top-25 ranked national opponent.

Yet, it’s the Patriots’ next trip that is considered the toughest: Winning in Reno over Thanksgiving weekend. Liberty plays Damonte Ranch at 1 p.m. Saturday in the state semifinals at McQueen High.

Winning in Northern Nevada is a challenge many other Las Vegas teams, including Liberty in 2013 and 2010, haven’t been able to do. Whether it’s the bus ride from Southern Nevada to the Reno area or the snowy playing conditions, Las Vegas schools — with the exception of powerhouse Bishop Gorman — have struggled.

“It’s a genuine concern,” Liberty coach Rich Muraco said. “Even in the NFL when the Miami Dolphins play in cold-weather Buffalo in late December, the advantage is to the Bills. You just have to put the cold out of your mind.”

It snowed in the second half of Liberty’s one-point loss in 2010 to McQueen. Instead of going for an extra point after its lone touchdown, the blizzard forced the Muraco to attempt a 2-point conversion. The conversion failed; Liberty lost, 7-6.

“That first time, it was awful,” the coach said. “The blizzard rolled in and the second half was crazy snow.”

Even with the travel and weather, Liberty is considered the favorite.

The Patriots won their seventh consecutive Sunrise Region championship last week, and with the exception of the season opener against Arbor View, hasn’t been challenged by in-state opponents. The Patriots have been ranked in the top-25 nationally since early September when they beat Austin Westlake of Texas.

All that’s left is winning in Reno.

“My mantra to the kids is we have the potential to be the best team ever at Liberty,” Muraco said. “We have seven regional championships and each one of those teams was great. But if we can win up in Reno, we have never done that before. That will set our legacy and be something no other (Liberty) team has done.”

Damonte Ranch (12-1) sophomore quarterback Cade McNamara stands in the way. He’s passed for 3,326 yards and 43 touchdowns and lead Damonte Ranch to a wild comeback against Reed in last week’s Northern Region championship game. In a five game stretch this season, McNamara passed for five touchdowns four times.

“They have an explosive offense. They like to sling it around and score some points,” Muraco said.

Liberty’s offense is also high-scoring.

Junior quarterback Kenyon Oblad has passed for 3,464 yards and 34 touchdowns, and the Patriots have a pair of wide receivers with more than 1,000 receiving yards. Darion Acohido has 68 catches for 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Ethan Dedeaux has 51 catches for 1,038 yards and 14 touchdowns. It’s a one-two combination that may be too much for Damonte Ranch to defend.

“The kids have bought into that. They want to be the best Patriots’ team ever,” Muraco said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy