Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Liberty football out to maintain status as national presence after last year’s success

Patriots play three out-of-state opponents to start the season

Las Vegas Sun HS Football Media Day 2017

Christopher DeVargas

Members of the Liberty High School football team, from left, Crishaun Lappin, Allan Mwata, Octavian Bell and Kenyon Oblad pose for a portrait at the Las Vegas Sun’s high school football media day August 2, 2017, at the South Point.

Las Vegas Sun Prep Football Media Day 2017

Members of the Shadow Ridge High School football team, from left, Kaejin Smith, Aubrey Nellems and Chase Harlaher pose for a portrait at the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day August 2, 2017, at the South Point. Launch slideshow »
Prep Sports Now

First Football Show

Las Vegas Sun sports editors Ray Brewer and Case Keefer welcome back football season by going through all the leagues, and also touch on major storylines. They also disagree on picks for numerous week 1 games.

If high school football had a national awards show like the Grammys, Liberty High likely would have won the honor for breakthrough performance last year.

The Patriots’ last year has often resembled that of a budding Hollywood star. Ever since it traveled to Texas and knocked off Austin Westlake, the then-No. 1 team in the football-rich state, last September, Liberty has piled up the accolades.

From a consistent ranking in a number of national top 25 polls to a Moment of the Year nod in the Sun Standout Awards, the victory has never stopped giving to the program.

“It was one of the best moments of my career,” said Liberty coach Rich Muraco. “Just the whole environment in Texas, getting to see football on that stage: You always read about it or see it in movies and getting to experience that first-hand was special, (and) to walk away with a win and to make Vegas proud.”

Now comes the hard part for Liberty — sustaining the success enough to remain a national presence.

“We always set our standards as high as we possibly can,” Muraco said. “We have the same four goals every year: We want to make the playoffs, win our division, win the regional championship and win a state championship.”

Although the Patriots have yet to achieve the ultimate goal, it seems that checking off the first three goals is an annual tradition. They’ve now won the Sunrise Region crown for four straight years.

That won’t be enough this year — not to uphold its place nationally at least. Liberty will also need to have a respectable showing in a season-opening trio of national games.

The Patriots host Saguaro High of Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday before traveling to Plantation, Fla., to take on American Heritage next week. Each of the first two opponents are ranked higher than Liberty by Max Preps.

A home date with Alta High from Sandy, Utah, caps off the most ambitious start to a season in program history.

Having a four-year starting quarterback should make the early challenges easier, especially one with some of the most prolific statistics in state history. Kenyon Oblad, who has six Football Bowl Subdivision scholarship offers, enters his senior year having thrown for 9,129 yards and 87 touchdowns.

And he says he’s improved immensely since last year’s run ended in an 84-8 loss to three-time defending national champions Bishop Gorman in the state championship.

Oblad led an effort to get into the weight room almost immediately after the Gorman loss, and has put on several pounds of muscle in the offseason.

“(The loss) really drove us because that was embarrassing,” Oblad said. “I think we can all say that. We just don’t want to let that happen again, so we worked harder, got in the film room, got stronger. We’re trying to come back and not let that ever happen again.”

Almost all of last year’s production from the skill positions graduated, which will put more pressure on Oblad as new talent develops. At least he’s got the luxury of what might be the program’s best-ever defense.

Safety Alan Mwata has already committed to San Diego State, and he might be just one of many Patriots’ defenders to play big-time college football.

“We have our DB core coming back with great experience,” Mwata said.

Next to Mwata is senior cornerback Octavian Bell, who had 52 tackles and five interceptions last year. Leading the charge for pressure up front is senior defensive end Crishaun Lappin, who wound up with 11 sacks last season.

Liberty once again has the second most talented roster in town behind Bishop Gorman, but that alone won’t guarantee success. The Patriots could find this season extraordinarily tough if they suffer from any complacency after last year’s rise to new heights.

But Muraco doesn’t plan on allowing that to happen. He’s harped on the hard work required to deliver Liberty to its current place all offseason, and how nothing less can be acceptable going forward.

“It’s never easy,” Muraco said. “We have to work hard. We have to game plan. We have to execute.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.