By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

LIBERTY

After Brookfield took a 14-point lead, Migel Burgess took over at quarterback in the second quarter to give Liberty some punch as the Leopards drilled Brookfield, 47-27, in an All-American Conference Blue Tier game.

After a season-opening 35-6 loss to Struthers, Liberty has won three straight: over Lakeview, 29-7, and then Pymatuning Valley, 64-0.

Burgess, a 6-foot, 160-ound junior was inserted in place of starter Hamad Alhmeed and finished by scoring two touchdowns, throwing for two more and scoring on a 37-yard interception return and 85-yard kickoff return.

Liberty coach Chet Allen wouldn’t call Burgess another Dra Rushton (a top-notch player who graduated), but, rather, Allen wants Burgess to have his own identity.

“His name is Migel Burgess,” Allen said clearly. “A dynamic player was born tonight and I’m happy that he was able to put himself in the game and add to it — not so much take it away. He did a great job tonight.”

Allen said that Burgess’ time at quarterback on Friday night was his most this season.

“We’ve been slowly trying to work him in and it just happen to align correctly and he did what he was supposed to do and it shows that he’s a pretty good ballplayer.”

Burgess’ 25-yard TD run early in the third quarter gave Liberty its first lead of the night at 19-14, then his interception return put the Leopards ahead, 26-14. It capped a 26-straight point comeback for the home team.

After Brookfield (1-3, 0-1) pulled within 26-21, Burgess’ long kickoff return widened the gap again.

Of Liberty’s 3-1, 1-0 record, Allen said, “When you’re the champ, everybody wants you, so we’re going to get everybody’s A-game. We’re Blue Tier champ until somebody knocks us off.”

Brookfield coach Randy Clark had no clear-cut reason for his team’s fall-off, except to say that Liberty “has good athletes.”

“The warm weather got the best of us [with cramps], Clark said, “but our kids came out pretty good [in the first quarter], then we just didn’t play very good after the first couple drives, that’s for sure.”

Clark had about 6-7 kids who were in and out of the game after cramping up.

“It wasn’t a good night for us,” he said.

After losses to McDonald and Springfield Local and its first win in Week 3 over Cuyahoga Heights, Brookfield has South Range next.

“We’re young and want to stay positive, but we’ll keep fighting,” Clark said.

Burgess finished 78 yards on 20 carries and was 6 of 8 for 84 yards passing. His counterpart, Brookfield’s Haden Gibson gained 157 yards on 16 carries and was 14 of 26 for 118 yards in the air. He was picked off twice – by Liberty’s Kameron Thomas and Burgess. Thomas had two catches for 38 yards, including a 16-yard TD reception from Burgess.

Tyler Briggs scored three times for the Warriors and finished with 98 yards on 19 carries.