TRUMBULL ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Liberty rallies past Newton Falls

The Leopards battled back from a 12-0 deficit.
By JAMIE TRINA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEWTON FALLS -- Friday's game pitting Newton Falls and Liberty was like a heavyweight bout, with the two opponents consistently exchanging blows, trying to knock the other one out.
Newton Falls came out of its corner with a fast one-two punch to take a 12-0 lead, but Liberty came back with its own power punch to finally knock out Newton Falls, 21-15.
"What can you say? We didn't play in the first half," Liberty coach Jeff Whittaker said.
Liberty senior running back Mike Marvin took a Brian Jones handoff and ran through the Newton Falls defense for an 18-yard game-winning touchdown with 2:39 left.
"Coach told me to bounce it outside, and I did," Marvin said. "I saw a couple of people fall, and I just came right up and dove in."
Key interception
The knockout punch was when Aaron Logan intercepted Aaron Spahlinger with 52 seconds left in the back of the end zone, dashing Newton Falls' hopes.
Newton Falls' first possession of the game was an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Spahlinger to Andy Grunder.
A 12-play, 45-yard drive by Liberty came to a screeching halt when Mike Staunton of Newton Falls picked off Jones.
Newton Falls was quick to land a second uppercut. Five plays following the turnover, Spahlinger connected with Sam Saab from 28 yards, driving the lead to 12-0.
The score remained 12-0 at the half after a series of counter punches exchanged by the opposing defenses.
Spahlinger's 170 total yards of offense in the first half outgained Liberty's 146 of total team offense. High school standout and Iowa recruit Bradley Fletcher was held in check with 22 yards on seven carries.
"[Newton] Falls did a great job in the first half defensively," Whittaker said. "They were fired up, and they played with emotion. We played flat."
Fletcher takes over
On Liberty's first possession of the second half, Fletcher tightened his gloves and ran the ball six times, leading the Leopards to a nine-play, 53-yard touchdown drive. Fletcher brought the score within six when he scored from 3 yards out.
Fletcher also led the Leopards on their following possession. After rushing the ball three times for 29 yards, Fletcher's 1-yard touchdown run tied the game. John Humphrey put Liberty in the lead for the first time, 13-12.
"He [Fletcher] can make plays," Whittaker said. "We started blocking people. The things that we were doing offensively dictated to him getting the ball the second half, because of what we were doing formation-wise."
Seth Mansell's 38-yard field goal put the Tigers up 15-13 with 8:29 left in the game.
Liberty took over at its own 40-yard line after the kickoff. A pass interference call and an encroachment call against Newton Falls gave Liberty the ball at the Newton Falls 45-yard line.
Three rushes by Fletcher that tallied 24 yards brought the Leopards to the 18-yard line of Newton Falls.