Garces faces tough Liberty defense tonight in football
| Thursday, Nov 12 2009 11:17 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Nov 12 2009 11:26 PM
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John Harte / Special to The Californian West at Liberty varsity football. Liberty quarterback Dillon Meadows (4) tries to elude West tackler Karie Finch (29) during a play in the first half at Liberty Friday night. NAMES CQ PER ROSTERS
Defense wins championships, sure, but not if the offense doesn't score any points.
Liberty's football team was a prime example last year: The Patriots allowed just 10.0 points a game en route to a co-Southeast Yosemite League championship, but they didn't score too many more.
The year ended with a 14-6 loss to eventual Central Section champion Clovis West in the first round of the playoffs.
That defense is back -- the average has ticked up, but onlly to 11.7 a game -- but so is an offense that can finally scare opponents.
Liberty (6-3, 5-0 SEYL) visits Garces (6-3, 4-1) tonight with another SEYL championship on the line, fresh off back-to-back 49-point performances, easily the team's best two-game production since Tony Mills became coach before last season.
That's a far cry from even early this fall, when Liberty lost 10-6 to Centennial.
"I feel like we've been a progression week by week," Mills said. "I'm pleased with where we're at, but I'm not completely satisfied. Hopefully our best is ahead of us offensively."
Mills has reasons other than the scoreboard to believe things are different than last year. He and his staff installed a spread offense before the season, and though the team stumbled with it early, they're getting the hang of it.
"Our offensive line has gotten much better," Mills said. "The first week, we had five linemen playing their first varsity game."
Mills said he also moved standout 287-pound defensive tackle Cody Temple to the offensive line midway through the season. That's more protection for senior quarterback Dillon Meadows, who is a dual-threat athlete who can give Liberty the big play it's been lacking.
He showed it the first week, ripping off a 76-yard touchdown run against Clovis West, and has continued to show it through some ups and downs. He has gained 885 rushing yards and thrown for 534 more.
"Dillon Meadows is a pure athlete," Mills said. "The thing is, with our spread, hopefully that creates some space. Then if he can hit one of those seams, he can make a big play."
Of course, Liberty's opponent is no stranger to offensive resurgence. Garces started 1-2 this season with a 27-6 loss to Tehachapi and a 20-0 defeat to Fresno-San Joaquin Memorial. Since then, the Rams have scored a whopping 49.7 points a game in six games, five of them wins.
They gained 562 yards in their Wing-T offense against East in a 67-41 win in Week 7, then followed that with 708 in a 56-42 defeat of West. They settled for 378 last week in beating Foothill 48-7.
"We're a team that's matured along the year, throughout the year," Garces coach David Fanucchi said. "Look at us offensively: Not counting the reciever, we rotate those 10 guys on the inside. We start seven sophomores and juniors. It was just a matter of time before these guys came together."
That gelling happened to coincide with Fanucchi's announced resignation, which came after the loss to Memorial.
"They're hitting on all cylinders, and they're playing with great motivation," Mills said. "That's a dangerous combination."
Whether it continues to be dangerous against Liberty's stout defense is of great concern to Fanucchi. So, lo and behold, is the Patriots offense.
"That offense has really developed and grown," Fanucchi said. "Maybe they get a little overshadowed by their defense, but they're extremely dangerous when (Meadows) runs the football. They're very good at it."
A number of other Week 10 games tonight have league-title implications. If Stockdale (8-1, 5-0) can beat West, it clinches the outright Southwest Yosemite League championship. If not, Frontier (8-1, 4-1) can claim a share if it beats Centennial (6-3, 3-2) in a game that's also huge for seeding in the Division I and II playoff brackets, which will be released Saturday.
Centennial junior quarterback Cody Kessler said he'll start after missing three games with a high ankle sprain. He played a quarter and a half last week at North.
In the South Sequoia League, Tehachapi (at Arvin), Taft (at Bakersfield Christian) and Wasco (at Shafter) are all on the road. All three are 7-2, 3-1 SSL and clinch a league-title share with a victory.
Bakersfield (7-2, 4-1 SEYL) plays at home against Highland. A win combined with a Garces win against Liberty would create a three-way tie for that championship.
