In the team’s biggest game of the season to date, Liberty senior running back Gabe Green put the ball on the ground on the team’s first play to set up an early Northampton touchdown.
On the final play from scrimmage, he plunged for a one-yard touchdown with just 13 seconds on the clock to give the Hurricanes an exhilarating 41-34 win against the Konkrete Kids at Lou Wolf Field at Northampton High School on Friday night.
The score capped an eight-play, 69-yard scoring drive that started with just 2:50 on the clock and the score tied at 34. The Hurricanes defense stepped up with a pair of fourth quarter stops to erase a 34-21 deficit with 11:53 left in the game.
Adriaan Deleon’s big kickoff return set Liberty up at the Northampton 38 on the first of three scoring drives in the quarter that was finished off by Zyaire Davis on a 15-yard slant delivered by Antonio Fontanez. The senior quarterback found Deleon on the ensuing drive to tie the game at 34 before the defense came through on 4th-and-7 to give the offense an opportunity in the two-minute drill.
The Hurricanes high-flying offense needed just 11 plays to accumulate 206 yards and three touchdowns in the opening half that Fontanez spread out to Jake Pukszyn and Davis. Pukszyn hauled in scores of five and 45 yards while the speedy Davis, who led the team with 157 receiving yards, found paydirt with a 67-yard explosive play in the first quarter.
Northampton showcased a methodical, run-heavy offense that sophomore Chase Kessler shined in, posting a career-high 159 rushing yards on 30 carries, including three touchdowns, for the Konkrete Kids. The hosts finished with 295 yards on the ground with Zander Rickert adding 122 and a pair of touchdowns as well.
Up next
Liberty (3-1) starts its divisional campaign off with a victory and moves on to face Dieruff (0-3) at BASD Stadium on Friday night at 7 p.m.
Northampton (2-2) turns its attention to Whitehall for another Friday night showdown at Lou Wolf Field at 7 p.m.
Derek Bast is a freelance writer who can be found on Twitter/X at @derek_bast. He can be reached by email at derekbast11@gmail.com.
LIBERTY 41, NORTHAMPTON 34
Liberty: 14; 7; 0; 20 — 41
Northampton: 6; 15; 7; 6 — 34
First quarter
N: Zander Rickert 6 run (aborted snap); 8:47
L: Jake Pukszyn 45 pass from Antonio Fontanez (Christian Hackett kick); 7:17
L: Zyaire Davis 67 pass from Fontanez (Hackett kick); 1:36
Second quarter
N: Rickert 41 run (Jackson Sandt kick); 10:08
N: Chase Kessler 4 run (Gavin Taff run); 2:03
L: Pukszyn 5 pass from Fontanez (Hackett kick); 1:24
Third quarter
N: Kessler 12 run (Sandt kick); 5:26
Fourth quarter
N: Kessler 34 run (Sandt kick blocked); 11:53
L: Davis 15 pass from Fontanez (Hackett kick); 9:45
L: Deleon 16 pass from Fontanez (Hackett kick failed); 6:13
L: Gabe Green 1 run (Hackett kick); 0:13
