By Brandon Judeh

sports@vindy.com

Liberty

Team

Girard

Record	Div.	Conf.
9/2	Div. IV	All-American Conference Blue Tier

Team

Liberty

Record	Div.	Conf.
8/3	Div. V	All-American Conference Blue Tier

Friday night’s Girard-Liberty game had a lot of story lines: Girard going to the playoffs, Liberty trying to win its first game and the Leopards’ coach, Jeff Whittaker, retiring.

In the end it was the Indians dominant play that stole the show in a 28-12 victory.

Leading the way for Girard (9-1) was senior quarterback Dan Graziano, who had 95 yards passing, 22 rushes for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

Girard started off the scoring in the first quarter when Graziano connected with Branden Byrd on a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Indians an early 7-0 lead.

“We didn’t score as quick as we usually do. It took six or seven minutes for us to score off the first drive, which I thought was pretty good to be able to drive down the field on eight or 10 plays,” said Girard coach Nick Cochran.

The Indians’ next score came in the middle of the second quarter. They were buried on their own 9-yard line, but Graziano threw a screen pass to Ahmad Eggleston that went for 40 yards. Several players later, Graziano capped the long drive with a 14-yard touchdown run that gave Girard huge momentum going into the half up 14-0.

Eggleston had a huge night for the Indians, scoring two rushing touchdowns, both in the second half, and finishing with 177 yards on 34 carries.

In the second half Girard picked up where they left off, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run by Eggleston and in the fourth he would add a 10 -yard touchdown to put the game on ice.

Liberty did have two spectacular runs in the second half, the first coming on a 53-yard touchdown scamper by Doan McKinney. The second one was even more breathtaking than the first, as Jamaal Daniel broke through the line, juked two defenders, then plowed through four more on his was to a 66-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that made the score 28-12.

Next up for Girard is the Division IV playoffs, which start next week. Cochran says that he has confidence in his team headed in to the postseason.

“We are very excited to be playing a playoff game in our own stadium and our guys know it’s a new season now and there is only one goal left — to win a state championship,” said Cochran.

“We feel really good, we just want to go out and play hard and come back with a win,” said Byrd.

Though Liberty (0-10) had a disappointing season, Whittaker, who is retiring after 17 seasons coaching, is proud of his career and all of the young men he has coached through the years.

“I have had a tremendous career, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have coached a lot of great people throughout the years and personally I measure high school football by how you effect people and how they do things later in their lives,” said Whittaker.

So what’s next for Whittaker now that he is retired?

“I don’t know, I’m thinking Florida.”