By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

LIBERTY

After losing to Liberty last season, 16-14, Jefferson’s coaches were wary of Liberty’s explosiveness and penchant for big plays, so the Falcons were careful to keep the ball away from the Leopards’ big guns this season.

Jefferson’s numerous squib kicks were proof of that strategy on Friday night, but Liberty still managed some electrifying offense in beating the visiting and previously unbeaten Falcons, 33-24, in an All-American Conference, National Division game that was the Leopards’ fifth straight win after a season-opening loss to Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

Sophomore quarterback Lynn Bowden threw two first-half touchdown passes — to Ben Phillips and JaShaun Whitman — and Bowden returned a punt for a TD to get the ball rolling for the Leopards (5-1, 3-0).

Despite being Liberty’s leading rusher with 86 yards on 20 carries, Bowden said that the Leopards’ passing game in the first half minimized the team’s reliance on his role as a runner.

“Our receivers trusted me to stay in the pocket in the first half, so I just tossed it up there,” Bowden said.

On the punt, which took several bounces, Bowden said that he didn’t consider letting it roll dead before returning it 57 yards.

“I wanted it to fall right in my hands because I told my cousin [Ben Phillips] that I was going to return it.”

With Liberty leading 20-0 at halftime, coach Kevin Cylar said that a shutout would have been satisfying.

“We wanted to get a shutout, but that’s unrealistic against a good team like Jefferson,” he said, pointing to Liberty’s close 16-14 win at Jefferson in 2013. “That was the best football team we’ve seen all year long.”

Cylar said it’s common for Bowden to ask the coach for his confidence and, in return, the sophomore usually delivers.

“Having a well-balanced team makes it more unpredicatable. When Lynn’s back there [at quarterback], teams don’t know if he’s going to run or pass, so we like that mystery about it. It makes you a little relaxed because you know he’s going to make the right decision.”

Cylar made it clear that the Leopards are more than Bowden and Phillips.

“This machine don’t go without others,” Cylar said of Brandon Rios, Alex Carnathan, Whitman and Joe Kangas, to name a few. “Let’s not just think that it’s about Lynn Bowden and Ben Phillips, but, between the tackles, those others are just as important.”

Kangas, from Ashtabula, just became eligible.

“Jo-Jo’s been practicing with us and didn’t know when he’d get to play, so his two sacks and constant pressure [on Jefferson’s offense] was outstanding,” Cylar said. “He’s a senior, but he’s young in football terms.”

Overall, the stats favored Jefferson (5-1, 2-1), but Liberty had enough big plays to counter the numbers.

In the first half, Jefferson quarterback Lucas Hitchcock threw an interception [to Khyri Davis] and the Falcons lost a fumble [recovered by Whitman].

Jefferson coach Jim Henson was asked if his team’s kickoff strategy was its best weapon.

“Well, I didn’t want to kick it to Mr. Bowden,” Henson said of Jefferson playing it safe. “That’s how they beat us [last season] when he took one back [kickoff return] to the house right before halftime.

“We thought that was our best opportunity. He’s very good in the return game and it was obvious when he returned that punt tonight.”

Jefferson came out after halftime and put some bite in their night with six points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth.