Patriots rally on 56-yard TD pass
Listed at 6 feet 4 and a potential basketball recruit, Olentangy Liberty junior receiver Ben Roderick usually has a few inches on the defensive backs he goes against.
He used his size to reel in the winning catch in his team’s 17-14 victory over Gahanna in a Division I regional semifinal Friday night at Westerville North.
With 10 minutes remaining, the Patriots scored the winning points when Roderick caught a pass downfield from Mitchell Okuley and sprinted for a 56-yard touchdown reception.
“We knew they’d come in and play a lot of man-to-man (defense), so every day in practice, everybody made me better,” Roderick said. “Having that practice makes it easier in the game. I ended up catching a touchdown, which is awesome, and we won, which is even better.”
Roderick’s catch was backed up by a strong performance from his defense as Liberty improved to 10-2 and advanced to Friday's regional final against Toledo Whitmer.
On the possession after Roderick’s touchdown, Gahanna (7-5) moved to the Liberty 49-yard line, but a holding call and a 15-yard sack by Christopher Osborne of Gahanna quarterback Mike Lowery forced the Lions into a third-and-46 from their 15.
On the next play, Lowery threw over the middle to Joel Andujar, but Liberty’s Johnny Wiseman was whistled for targeting and was ejected.
The Lions were forced to punt but got the ball back with 3:17 remaining at their 17. On fourthand-3 from their own 36, Lowery was sacked by the Patriots’ Edward Warinner with 1:30 remaining.
“I saw him scrambling, and I waited a couple seconds because I didn’t want him to throw it over me, and then I went and I made the sack,” said Warinner, a Michigan State recruit. “I give our guys the credit. Our defense played pretty tough tonight.”
On Liberty’s opening drive of the third quarter, the Lions forced a punt and then, on the first play of their ensuing drive, took a 14-7 lead with 10:08 to go when Jerome Buckner ran for a 62-yard touchdown.
The Patriots cut the deficit to 14-10 with 4:31 left in the third period on a 28-yard field goal by Dante Leary.
On the game’s opening drive, the Lions drove 71 yards, with Lowery hitting Buckner for a 7-yard touchdown pass.
With 8:31 left in the first half, the Patriots fumbled at the Gahanna 3, and the Lions' Travis Whittaker recovered.
Liberty, however, forced the Lions to punt on their ensuing possession, and Grant Wilson returned the ball 40 yards to the Gahanna 3.
The Patriots were whistled for holding on the first play from scrimmage, but Okuley hit Roderick for a 15-yard touchdown on the next play.
“We had opportunities,” coach Bruce Ward said. “Take nothing away from (Liberty), but we were not at our best.”