LEOPARDS OUSTED
ARLINGTON, Texas—Liberty-Eylau’s fabulous season had a nightmarish ending Friday night at AT&T Stadium.
Argyle’s Caleb Holt kicked three field goals (28, 39, 41) and converted all of his PATs as the Eagles duplicated last year’s win over the Leopards, 32-29.
The Eagles advance to play Abilene Wylie next week in the Class 4A state semifinals.
L-E lost to the Eagles last year, 45-42, in heart-breaking fashion. This setback was even harder to take.
The Leopards led 14-12 at halftime, but Argyle mixed up its strategy in the second half, allowing junior quarterback Dane Ledford to rush for 65 yards after running for only 100 in the Eagles’ previous 13 games.
Ledford and Drew Estrada also teamed up on a trick play that resulted in a 58-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter as Argyle scored 17 unanswered points to erase L-E’s 21-12 lead.
Just like last season, the Leopards rallied by senior Kémon Freeman, who scored his third TD of the game on a 55-yard run 47 seconds into the second half.
Freeman’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Decorian Meadows with 6:03 left in the game accounted for the final margin.
L-E (12-2) could not get the ball back as the Eagles marched from their 41 to the L-E 4, where Ledford took a knee to run out the clock.
In his final schoolboy game, Freeman ran for 118 yards and passed for 208.
The Leopards dominated the first half, particularly on defense, holding
Argyle to 107 total yards, and only 33 on the ground.
Caleb Holt had kicked his 13th field goal of the season to put the Eagles on top, 10-7.
Argyle was in position to add to its lead after Freeman was sacked twice, the second time by Hudson Speed for a safety with 2:48 left in the half.
L-E’s Henry George recovered an Eagle fumble on the first play after the free kick, but Argyle’s Dylan Sadler intercepted a pass and returned it to the Leopards’ 11.
On first down DeAndre Hoof recovered another Eagle fumble.
Freeman directed a nine-play, 50-yard drive in less than two minutes, L-E’s do-it-all quarterback scoring his second touchdown with 43 seconds left in the half. Freeman then found Garyco Witcher in the middle of the end zone, who made a juggling catch for two extra points that made it 14-12 at intermission.
Argyle had a late opportunity, but safety Denzel Green’s third interception of the season ended that threat.
A 33-yard punt return by Drew Estrada set up the game’s first touchdown. A personal foul on L-E at the end of the return put the ball at the Leopards’ 3, and Ledford scored on the next play with 7:59 left in the first quarter.
L-E’s first points came on its initial possession of the second quarter when Freeman plowed over from a yard with 8:43 left. The PAT attempt hit the right upright and was no good, leaving the Eagles on top 7-6.