Liberty Center repels Mineral Ridge for 6-3 win

The Rams were turned back three times from the 2 yard line in the fourth quarter.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MINERAL RIDGE -- After a three-hour bus ride from Western Ohio, it took the Liberty Center High football team just 68 seconds to score six points against Mineral Ridge.
The Tigers then spent the next 46 minutes, 52 seconds fighting to hold off the Rams in a furious contest, prevailing 6-3 in a Division V matchup of potential playoff teams from opposite ends of the state.
"That was some battle," Liberty Center coach Rex Lingruen said after the Tigers stuffed the Rams three times from the 2 yard line in the fourth quarter to preserve the win. "When it came down to crunch time, our defense came through."
The Rams (6-1), the No. 2 team in this week's Region 17 computer playoff ratings, dominated play after halftime, limiting the Tigers to 11 yards on five plays for the first 18 minutes of the second half.
But after stopping Rams running back Micah Hall on the 1 on a fourth-and-goal play, the Tigers, the No. 6 team in Region 18, ran off 11 straight plays to ice the victory.
The big play
The key play was quarterback Brian Babcock's only completion of the night, a screen toss to running back Curt Silveus that gained 19 yards to the 20 to give the Tigers breathing room.
"Our offensive line really picked it up in the second half," said Mineral Ridge coach Shawn Brown, citing the play of tackle Nick Menichini, center Mark Greene, tackle Mike Mousie and tight end John Hack.
"At halftime, we told [running backs] Levi [Leigh] and Micah to keep their heads down and keep driving," Brown said.
It worked.
After being stopped at their 42 on the first possession of the third quarter, the Rams caught a break after a high snap on a punt attempt. After Vance Kiersey scrambled to get the kick off, the Tigers were penalized for roughing the punter.
Six plays later, Nick Ciavarella kicked a 37-yard field goal to cut Liberty Center's lead to 6-3.
After the Tigers earned a first down, the Rams forced a punt and took possession at the 18. Hall and Leigh took turns carrying the ball on the next 13 plays.
On first-and-goal from the 7, Leigh gained 5 yards.
On second and third downs, Leigh and Hall were each stopped for no gain. On fourth down, Hall gained a yard before being stopped by linebacker Eric Wymer and safety Curt Silveus.
"I knew there wouldn't be much of a hole on that play so I just pushed forward as hard as I could," Hall said. "Their defense made the play."
Chose to run
Brown said the coaches debated kicking a field goal to tie, but chose to run because of how well the Rams had been moving the ball.
After suffering their first defeat, Hall and Leigh said the game was anything but "disappointing."
"It was like a playoff test for us," said Leigh after rushing for 108 yards on 28 carries. "It was a non-conference game, but it certainly didn't hurt us to get ready for the rest of our league schedule."
The Tigers (6-1) took the lead 6-0 on their third offensive play when Wymer broke the line for a 44-yard touchdown run. The extra-point kick was low and tipped by a Rams lineman.
Hall led the Rams with 115 yards on 25 carries.
The Tigers rushed 38 times for 200 yards.
williams@vindy.com